Why Is Reading Comprehension So Hard?
One of the key reasons that children dislike reading is because of poor reading comprehension. What fun is it to read a book when you don’t experience it in a vivid or real way in your imagination?
Here’s why this skill is so hard for so many kids and what you can do to strengthen it:
What Is Reading Comprehension?
Reading comprehension is the ability to understand and process the information that we read. It is a complex skill that involves several different brain functions, including attention, memory, and language processing. Many people struggle to remember what they read, especially if they are struggling with memory or focus in other areas of life.
Brain Skills Needed for Reading Comprehension
One of the main reasons that reading comprehension can be difficult is that it requires the use of several different brain skills simultaneously. In order to comprehend what we read, our brains must be able to:
- Focus and sustain attention
- Remember and process the written words
- Use language, visualization and reasoning skills to make sense of the text
- And store the information in long-term memory
These brain skills are not always easy to develop, and many people struggle with one or more of them. For example, some people may have difficulty maintaining attention and focus while reading, while others may have trouble remembering or processing the information they have read.
Reading Skills Pyramid
If you picture reading as a pyramid, comprehension is at the very top. It’s the ultimate goal—and the hardest to achieve. Before it can happen effectively, you need to build a solid foundation of cognitive skills and phonemic awareness. If you skip these foundational elements, kids are going to continue to struggle more as texts get harder.
How Brain Training Builds Reading Comprehension Skills
Fortunately, there are ways to improve reading comprehension skills. One effective method is through brain training exercises. These exercises are designed to target the specific brain skills needed for comprehension, such as attention and memory.
This approach to building comprehension is effective because it gets back to the root of the problem. Instead of just more practice and trial-and-error, we are able to hone in on exactly where the hangup is for individuals who struggle.
Click here to learn more about our comprehension training program!
