Reading Comprehension

What might you see?

• Problems understanding what is read
• Trouble stating the main idea or main point, or trouble summarizing what was read

How can you help?

• Read with the service member or veteran.
• Review the reading material, using the 5W strategy — Who, What, Where, When, and Why:
  • Who are the characters?
  • What happened to the characters in the book or story? What did they do about it?
  • Where did it happen?
  • When did it happen?
  • Why did it happen?
• The five Ws should be related; that is, they should refer to the same characters or portion of the story.
• The service member or veteran can write out important information or say it out loud; this uses other senses to increase comprehension.
• Emphasize important information in the text.