📘 The Connection Between Reading and Comprehension

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Learning to read is more than recognising words on a page — it’s about understanding them. Reading comprehension allows children to make meaning from text, connect ideas, and enjoy stories and information. Because it is strongly linked to academic success and lifelong learning, comprehension is considered one of the most important parts of literacy (Cain & Oakhill, 2007).

However, comprehension doesn’t always develop automatically. Many children can decode words well but still struggle to understand what they read. This is where speech pathologists play a vital role. They support both word recognition and language comprehension, the two components that make fluent reading possible.

What Is Reading Comprehension?

Reading comprehension is the ability to understand, interpret, and think critically about written text. It requires several interconnected skills, including:

Word recognition – accurately and fluently decoding written words
Vocabulary knowledge – understanding word meanings
Sentence comprehension – making sense of grammar and sentence structure
Background knowledge – linking new information to what the child already knows
Working memory – retaining and integrating ideas across sentences and paragraphs

When these skills work together, children can read with confidence, make inferences, and develop deeper understanding (Nation, 2019).

Scarborough’s Reading Rope helps illustrate this clearly.

Word recognition includes phonological awareness, decoding, and instant recognition of familiar words.
Language comprehension includes background knowledge, vocabulary, grammar, reasoning, and literacy knowledge.

As these strands become stronger and more automatic, they weave together to produce skilled, fluent reading (Scarborough, 2001).

How Speech Pathologists Support Reading Comprehension

Speech pathologists strengthen both decoding and language comprehension — the two key components of successful reading (Gough & Tunmer, 1986). Therapy may involve:

Building phonological awareness and phonics skills to support accurate decoding
Expanding vocabulary and word-meaning knowledge
Supporting sentence structure and the understanding of more complex grammar
Developing narrative skills, such as sequencing, identifying the main idea, and making inferences
Strengthening verbal reasoning to support deeper comprehension

Intervention is explicit, structured, and evidence-based. It is also personalised to each child and often includes multisensory learning to keep sessions engaging (National Reading Panel, 2000).

When comprehension improves, children become more capable readers who can:

Understand and enjoy stories
Learn effectively across subjects
Think critically
Communicate ideas clearly
Build confidence and independence as learners

Because comprehension is closely tied to oral language ability, children with strong spoken language skills typically have better reading outcomes (Snow, 2016). Early support for both word reading and language understanding is essential to prevent later literacy difficulties.

Supporting Comprehension at Home

Parents play a powerful role in strengthening comprehension. Consistent, simple activities can make a meaningful difference, such as:

Reading aloud and talking about the story together
Asking open-ended questions (“Why do you think that happened?” “What might happen next?”)
Making real-life connections (“This part reminds me of when we went to the zoo!”)
Encouraging retelling, drawing, or acting out parts of the story
Talking about new words and what they mean

These interactions help children practise thinking, predicting, and discussing ideas — core skills for strong comprehension.

With early, structured, and language-rich support, children can build the skills they need to enjoy reading, succeed at school, and communicate effectively throughout life.

FAQ: The Connection Between Reading and Comprehension

1. What is the difference between reading and comprehension?

Reading is the ability to decode written words. Comprehension is the ability to understand and make meaning from those words. Children can often read the words on a page but still struggle to understand what they’ve read.

2. Why do some children have difficulty with comprehension even if they can read the words?

Many children can decode accurately but have challenges with vocabulary, grammar, background knowledge, or working memory. Because comprehension relies on these language skills, struggles in any of these areas can make it hard to understand text.

3. How do speech pathologists help with reading comprehension?

Speech pathologists build the underlying language skills needed for comprehension, such as vocabulary, sentence structure, narrative skills, and verbal reasoning. They also support phonological awareness and phonics, which strengthen accurate decoding.

4. What are signs my child may be struggling with comprehension?

Common signs include:

Reading fluently but not recalling key details
Difficulty answering questions about the text
Trouble retelling stories
Avoiding reading tasks
Misunderstanding instructions or the “main idea”

If you notice these patterns, a speech pathology assessment may help.

5. What is Scarborough’s Reading Rope?

Scarborough’s Reading Rope is a model showing that skilled reading develops through the combination of two strands: word recognition and language comprehension. As these strands strengthen and intertwine, reading becomes more fluent and meaningful.

6. Can comprehension improve with intervention?

Yes. Research shows that explicit, structured intervention targeting vocabulary, sentence structure, phonological awareness, and reasoning skills can significantly improve comprehension. Early support is especially effective.

7. What can parents do at home to strengthen comprehension?

Simple, consistent activities make a big difference. You can:

Read aloud together and talk about the story
Ask open-ended questions
Connect stories to real experiences
Encourage retelling or drawing parts of the text
Discuss new vocabulary in everyday conversations

These habits build confidence and deepen understanding.

8. Is poor comprehension linked to spoken language difficulties?

Often, yes. Oral language skills — vocabulary, grammar, and reasoning — underpin reading comprehension. Children with language delays are more likely to experience comprehension challenges, which is why early support is important.

9. Should I be worried if my child can decode well but still struggles with comprehension?

Not necessarily — but it is worth exploring. Many children develop comprehension later than decoding. However, consistent difficulty understanding text may indicate a language-based challenge that speech pathology can support.

10. When should I seek help from a speech pathologist?

If your child:

Reads well but doesn’t understand what they read
Struggles with vocabulary or sentence structure
Has difficulty following stories
Avoids reading
Has ongoing trouble with school tasks involving reading

…then an assessment can help identify their strengths and provide targeted support.

call Perth Speech Therapy on 0412 256 656.

Location: Unit 1 595 Canning Hwy Alfred Cove

📚 References

(Cleaned and preserved in academic format)

Cain, K., & Oakhill, J. (2007). Children’s comprehension problems in oral and written language: A cognitive perspective. Guilford Press.
Gough, P. B., & Tunmer, W. E. (1986). Decoding, reading, and reading disability. Remedial and Special Education, 7(1), 6–10.
Nation, K. (2019). Children’s reading comprehension difficulties. In C. Hulme & M. Snowling (Eds.), Reading and dyslexia (3rd ed.). Psychology Press.
National Reading Panel. (2000). Teaching children to read. NICHD.
Scarborough, H. S. (2001). Connecting early language and literacy to later reading disabilities. In S. Neuman & D. Dickinson (Eds.), Handbook of early literacy research (Vol. 1, pp. 97–110).
Snow, C. E. (2016). The potential of the simple view of reading for enhancing reading instruction. Journal of Research in Reading, 39(4), 356–360.

The Connection Between Reading and Comprehension: How Children Build Strong Literacy Skills