Oak Tree Literacy
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Structured Literacy Tutor, Outschool Educator, Nurturer of Living Things.
As a literacy tutor, I notice that kids often have a hard time understanding what they're reading. We can build a strong foundation for comprehension by playing games with our kids when they're little to help them build vocabulary and gain knowledge of the world. This version of the classic I Spy game is perfect for this! Follow for more on how reading comprehension starts long before kids can read.
If your child can read, but doesn’t understand what they’re reading, they may not have enough background knowledge. If you curious about how kids develop background knowledge, follow along.
05/25/2026
Can your child read a book, but can't quite understand what's happening? There's many reasons for this, and one reason could be lack of background knowledge. Background knowledge is like a basket full of information that each child has gathered that helps them understand what they're reading. We can fill our kid's basket by doing regular activities every day. If you're wondering how to do this, follow for more!
05/24/2026
The little things we do with our kids today matter for their futures. The books we read with them now help them understand the books they will read later. The conversations we have with them now help them build vocabulary they will use later. The experiences we give them now help shape their understanding of what will happen later. Plant seeds now, and watch them grow into strong readers and writers later.
When I read with a student, I'm paying attention to their thinking. I listen to their predictions, their explanations, and their understanding of what's happening. These insights help me see how their reading comprehension is growing from week to week. Save this for when you need a reminder that just sharing a book with your kids helps their comprehension grow.
05/23/2026
Building with Lego, blocks, or tiles gives kids real experiences with how things work. They’re learning about balance, weight, stability and “what happens if...?” These experiences become part of the background knowledge they’ll use to understand what they read in books and stories. So every time you step on a pesky Lego brick, remember that your kids are not only building structures, but knowledge!
There's a whole new world for kids to discover in the adult nonfiction section of the library. Books about fishing, travel, history, art, landscaping, photography, woodworking, or farming. Explore these books together with your kids and watch their vocabulary and knowledge grow! Follow for more on how building knowledge of the world can help your kid's reading comprehension.
05/21/2026
One way kids can build knowledge is by exploring lots of different books. And they don't have to be kid's books. Offer a mix of books from the adult nonfiction section of the library on whatever subject you find - art, cooking, gardening, animals, travel, fishing, or camping. Flip through with your kids, read a page or two, look at the pictures. Maybe something will catch their interest and you can explore and learn together. This builds knowledge, which improves reading comprehension.
Did you know that taking a walk outside in nature can help your child's reading comprehension? In order to understand what they read in books, kids need to know about the world. Nature is full of learning opportunities. Follow for more on how your child's reading comprehension can develop in ordinary moments.
Two pictures, one description. This reading activity tells me a lot about how students think and helps me to see how their reading comprehension is developing. Follow if you're interested in more.
Read alouds are not just for little kids. Older kids benefit from hearing stories and informational books read out loud to them too, especially ones that are full of new words and ideas. Follow for more info on how kids develop reading comprehension.
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