What is one effective strategy to enhance reading comprehension in struggling readers?

Teaching metacognitive strategies to help students self-monitor their understanding is an effective approach to enhance reading comprehension in struggling readers because it empowers them to take control of their learning process. By developing metacognitive skills, students learn to think about their thinking, which enables them to recognize when they do not understand a passage and prompts them to employ appropriate strategies to clarify their confusion.

These strategies might include techniques such as summarizing what they have read, questioning the text, predicting what will happen next, or reflecting on their thoughts and feelings about the content. This self-awareness not only improves their comprehension but also builds their confidence as they become more engaged and proactive readers.

While implementing group reading sessions can provide a supportive learning environment and promote discussion, this method may not directly teach students how to address their comprehension issues on an individual level. Using only visual aids could support learning but might not address deeper cognitive processes required for reading comprehension. Reducing the complexity of reading material can make texts more accessible, yet it does not encourage students to develop the skills necessary to tackle more challenging texts in the future. Thus, teaching metacognitive strategies stands out as a comprehensive method to foster independent reading skills and enhance overall understanding.