Improve Reading Comprehension Through Expanded Vocabulary

Famed mystery writer Elmore Leonard, asked about his sparse style, explained it this way: "I try to leave out the parts that people skip." Indeed, whole sections of fiction can be omitted....IF one is reading for pleasure. On the other hand, if one is reading a fictional passage and will be tested for comprehension of it, speed reading or passage-skipping is not the best way to go.

At Think Tutoring, we teach students about the various types of reading matter they encounter and the attention to be paid to the various types. Tutors in our reading programs help students make such assessments so they read carefully and comprehensively when the material demands they do.

Of course, the more vocabulary words a reader knows, the more quickly he can read through the material and the better he can understand it. In a blog  titled Vocabulary Study: Conscious Study and Unconscious Learning on October 21, 2010, the author talks about conscious and "unconscious" absorption of information. Often we make intuitive leaps about knowledge because we have had some exposure to the new material before. In other words, we are able to make an educated guess as to meaning, or an intuitive leap of intellect in our understanding of the passage.

For example, a reader can sometimes understand a totally new word because of the context in which it appears. To illustrate, it's not really hard to tell what the word "quidnunc" means in the following (even though you don't know what it means as you read it in this paragraph).

Because of his incessant willingness to gossip, Kyle
has rightfully earned the title of a "quidnunc."

On other occasions, we can assume the meaning of a word--especially when we hear it--if we possess a full understanding of a particular form of the word. One of the best things you can do to expand your child's vocabulary is to help her move effortlessly among the parts of speech for a given word. For example, your child may not know the word "concision." However, if you present it like this, the meaning is clear.

Adjective:  precise
Noun:       precision
Adjective: concise
Noun:       concision

Readers with limited vocabularies have to stop and analyze words--or skip them entirely. Either way, their speed and comprehension of a given passage will be negatively impacted.

Listen and look for interesting (nda somewhat rare) forms of a given word. Help your child realize that "tornadic" (tor NAD ic) comes from a word he already knows: "tornado." Your examples will build the confidence that makes reading pleasurable and readers proficient.

KnowledgePoints, located in Florham Park, and serving surrounding towns of Madison, East Hanover, Livingston, and Whippany offers  curriculum-based reading programs for students of all grade levels.