What Is Reading Comprehension, Really?
Reading comprehension often feels like an abstract concept.
But chances are, if you’ve found your way to this blog—despite the overwhelming amount of videos and images available online—you probably already have a decent level of reading comprehension.
As a cram school teacher who has worked with many students over the years, I’ve noticed a clear pattern:
Students who already have some reading comprehension tend to read more and improve further. On the other hand, those who lack it tend to avoid reading altogether—and as a result, their skills don’t develop.
How Do Good Readers Get Even Better?
So, how do those with strong reading comprehension keep getting better at it?
It may seem like an impossible question—after all, we can’t peek inside someone’s head. But I can tell you with confidence that there is a way to improve your reading comprehension.
And it’s surprisingly simple:
Read again and again—until you understand.
Why Reading Once Isn’t Enough
Let me explain.
When we read, we usually just follow the words with our eyes and move on. But in most cases, we don’t fully understand everything on the first go.
(Some geniuses might—but let’s leave those exceptions aside.)
This is especially true when the topic is something unfamiliar or difficult. We’re bound to come across parts that don’t make sense right away.
Here’s where strong readers do something important:
They go back and reread.
When something doesn’t click, they ask themselves, “Wait, what does that mean?”—and they read it again until it makes sense.
This is what I mean by “reading until you understand.”
The Difference Between Reading and Understanding
On the other hand, readers who struggle tend to just keep going—even when they don’t understand what they’re reading.
They’re focused on “finishing” the passage, not on understanding it.
Then they say, “I read it!”—but did they really?
This is why I believe that reading comprehension is the ability to understand the meaning of a text correctly.
Helping Children Build Good Reading Habits
If you’re a parent, I recommend helping your child develop this kind of reading by around the age of 10.
Why? Because after that, poor reading habits become harder to change.
Start by choosing simple and fun books your child is interested in. Read together and enjoy the story.
As you read, try asking gentle questions like, “Why do you think this animal said that?”
This helps your child naturally develop the habit of thinking about the meaning behind the words.
If you can’t explain it, you haven’t understood it. That’s a key idea.
If You Want to Improve Your Own Reading Skills
If you’re the one looking to improve your reading comprehension, keep one thing in mind:
Read with the goal of understanding.
Choose books or articles in a field you’re interested in. Make sure the length and difficulty are manageable for you.
As you read, move forward when you understand, but don’t hesitate to go back and reread when something doesn’t make sense.
If you keep doing this consistently, your reading comprehension will grow over time.
Although—if you’ve made it this far, I’m probably preaching to the choir!
One Last Thought
For what it’s worth, I still read every day myself.
Recently, I’ve been challenging myself with slightly more difficult books—not just to boost my reading skills, but also to expand my vocabulary.
But vocabulary building is a whole other topic, so I’ll save that for another time.
Reading is the foundation of knowledge.
I hope your journey through the world of books is a meaningful and enriching one.