http://www.resourceroom.net/eduonly/HarryPotterComprehensionexercises.asp
(or go to www.resourceroom.net and click on the “new” link :))
These are some comprehension exercises that have a little more structure than most; they’re good as is if you’re doing Harry Potter, or as a model for the kinds of things you can do either in general or with any book. Have fun with ‘em!
Some ideas
With a reading level so far below his ability to understand language, a book that he can read easily is not likely to be too interesting.
When I work with a kid like that I read with the kid — we trade paragraphs or pages (I prefer paragraphs) for fifteen minutes or so each day. When he makes a mistake we fix it (we follow along with pencils & I stop the pencil & circle where the mistake was, and usually the kid fixes it; if not I read it, and it only takes a second or two, and doesn’t involve saying “now what was that word” or any of that “I’m correcting you” language), and of course every other paragraph he gets to listen to.
People are never too old to be read aloud to, either; if his listening attention span is short, keep him engaged by asking questions and start short and gradually build. If he’s got auditory processing problems it can help to slow things down just a tad, and of course be expressive.
_Stone Fox_ is one of my favorite great-story-for-any-age-but-not-hard-to-reaad books (and actually I’ve got some comprehension exercises for that too that I’ll be getting online next week :)). There are some more books like that listed on my site (go to the “book reviews” in the reading comprehension section).
Sue,
I think my 9 yr. old son would like Harry Potter but his reading level is below 2nd grade. He does have good concepts and comprehension.
He has not been one to sit and be read to for a long period of time or been interested in reading some of a book and then continuing the next day.
I would like him to development an interest in looking forward to the next chapter of a book.