Comprehension is when your child demonstrates they have an understanding of what they have read. We can develop this in many ways; usually we do this through asking questions, discussions and talking about the books. The more children read and talk about books the better they get at comprehension. You should discuss the book before, during and after reading. Below are some ideas for each part of that stage. Don't try all the ideas at once; choose one or two to activities per book. Also, there are some ideas below for follow up activities.
Before Reading
There is so much that you can discuss before you open a book up and read it. You could discuss the front cover, the title, the author and read the blurb. Don't ignore the pictures on the front cover. In the example above, we could discuss hedgehogs, nocturnal animals, autumn/seasons, the use of a comma in the title and so much more.
Always read the blurb on the back of the book and discuss this; there might be some questions to talk about or opportunities for making predictions. Use this opportunity to investigate what your child already knows.
If there are lots of illustrations, you could do a 'walkthrough' of the book. Using only the pictures, discuss the book one page at a time. Encourage your child to talk about what is happening in the pictures or the characters. This will help them to gain confidence, to develop a context for reading, or give you a chance to answer any questions beforehand.
If the book is an information text, you could discuss how to use a contents page, an index or a glossary. Point out the features of the text; for example, headings, captions, diagrams etc.
During Reading
Whilst your child is reading listen to them very carefully. If they get stuck on a word, encourage them to use their phonics; if the word is still too challenging, then don't be afraid to just tell them the word. The children should track with their fingers; by placing their index finger under the word they are reading and follow through as they read. This will help with not losing their place and allows you to see what words they are reading or finding challenging.
Discuss the characters and try to make inferences by discussing their actions or emotions in the story. You could stop the reading and discuss what is going to happen next to encourage making predictions. You could point out and discuss vocabulary or punctuation, for example why has the writer used an exclamation mark, or what does the word rescue mean?
If the book is an information text remember to point out features of the text; for example, headings, captions, diagrams etc. Also, discuss any facts that are useful, interesting or amusing. Ensure that your child understands any new words or vocabulary.
Whilst your child is reading remember that often the simplest and easiest questions are the best ones. Do not try to catch your child out whilst they are reading; you are just checking that they understand what they have read. Read a few pages at a time, a little and often approach is best for reading, as it can be quite exhausting.
After Reading
Once your child has finished reading, always discuss the book and what they have found out or anything they remember; they could use the book to help them with this. Try discussing if the book reminds them of any other stories or anything else, such as movies or real life events. This will help with making links. Talk about anything they liked or disliked. Primarily, you are just checking that your child has understood the text.
Your child could complete a little activity afterwards to explore the book in greater detail. Don't do this with every book; only those that they find interesting. If it is an information text, they could create a little fact file or poster. If it is a story they could make a wanted poster or character profile, draw a story map, draw their favourite scene or character, write a sequel or turn it into a comic strip. There are so many things they could do after reading the book.