Last time I warned you that understanding is more than just summarizing. But let’s back up. Let’s talk about the basic summary, both in general and also in relation to the Harry Potter series.
As I mentioned before, many people check for understanding by asking a child “what’s going on in the story” or asking the child to “tell me about what you’ve read.”
Learning to summarize is a skill which not all children have mastered.
Some of my best readers did not start out innately knowing how to summarize. Despite excellent understanding they long to give more detail – too much detail, starting way back at page one. Or overwhelmed by what they think you’re looking for, they offer too little. So be forgiving and offer some guidance.
When dealing with long chapter books ask for the main events so far and ask for more detail about only the past chapter or two.
- Children with a strong understanding of the book may still have trouble identifying just the main events, but it will give you a sense of their understanding based on how they respond. You are looking for events that are actually critical to the plot and have already occurred.
- Children who understand what they are reading should remember what they’ve read recently and be able to tell you about the past few chapters in more specific detail. They should be able to answer your questions about what they share with you.
If your child or student is reading a Harry Potter book, and is not yet a teen, regular check ins with you should be part of the process. If you talk about books with your kids it’s a great chance for conversation and an easy way for you to see how they’re doing with their reading. If you’re a teacher, you should be checking in regularly as part of your reading time. As teachers we can’t possibly read every book ever, but if you suspect a child is reading out of his or her depth, take a few minutes to skim a section so that you can ask relevant questions and know whether the answers you get are sufficient.
Beware the rereader!
- It is only natural that a child will reach for the book when you start to ask questions. It’s also a sign that they may not have the answers. Watch to see if they flip purposefully towards a specific spot or if a desperate hunt appears to be in progress.
- There is nothing wrong with rereading to bolster comprehension but a child who is reading a book of appropriate difficulty will not need to reread in order to answer every question.
Can you imagine trying to hunt for an answer in an 700+ page book? I can’t! And yet, I have seen students, amid “ers” and “ums” do exactly that. Grab that giant book towards them and start flipping.
Did you see the movie?
- Often students seem to be able to read difficult books because they have also watched the movie. These students are usually able to give decent summaries, identifying main characters and events.
- Watch for sequence. If the reader is frequently talking about things they haven’t gotten to in the book, they are likely relying too much on their movie experience.
- Readers that are relying on the movies may also give less weight or importance to characters or events that didn’t make the cut into the film. Pay attention to this as it serves as a warning signal.
I have often had students explain to me that they know what’s going on in Harry Potter because they have seen the movie. While I agree that having seen a movie (especially multiple times) will give you a basic idea of the plot, it should not be a substitute for actually understanding what you are reading.
Be kind, but firm.
If you feel that the discussion of the basic plot of the story has revealed that a child just isn’t ready to read it, you may have to tell them to save the book for another time. Try to remember that it can be frustrating and embarrassing to have to stop reading a book even if you are struggling.
If you are a parent:
If your only concern is about difficulty and not about content, talk to your child about saving the book and the enjoyment they will get out of it later. If you have an older child whom you feel will absolutely be okay with the content, consider offering up your services. Children get great value out of reading with their parents, so reading together as part of your daily or weekly routine may be away to allow them to continue the series without struggling with understanding.
If you are a teacher:
I’ll be honest. It was much, much easier for me to have a blanket rule in my third grade class no one is allowed to read Harry Potter for any school assignment. I only ever had one parent push back. I simply explained that a book of its length didn’t allow for the variety of genre and style that I wanted my students to explore (true) and that very long books often didn’t lend themselves to completing the type of assignments we were doing (also true).
But sometimes I wasn’t in my classroom. As a gifted education teacher I was often in other classrooms in my schools and teachers would sometimes ask me to conference with students to determine if they were comprehending Harry Potter. In those cases, I very frequently would be in the position of explaining to students that I didn’t think it was a good fit for them right now. I would explain the rule I had in my own room. I would emphasize (when relevant) that many students their age weren’t ready for Harry Potter. I would remind them that the book would still be their in the future. I would also very quietly remind them that just because someone else has “read” the book, does not mean that it was appropriate for them or that they understood it fully. And that we can never really know how other kids did with the book. It’s important to reassure them that they aren’t the “only kid in the world” who can’t read Harry Potter right now. And it’s equally important to reassure them that you have faith in them as a reader.
Have Faith
Children sometimes associate being a good reader with reading long heavy imposing texts. They might need reassurance from an outside source, like a parent or a teacher that they are good readers. Find things to praise about children’s reading skills so that they don’t feel like they are a failure just because they can’t tackle one particular book right now. Maybe your child reads with expression and makes the story come alive! Make sure you tell your child that you’ve noticed and invite your child to read to you. Maybe your child excels at coming up with good predictions about what might happen. Point this out and ask your child to share how they did it! Make sure your child knows that there are many skills necessary to being a good reader and that tackling a large number of pages has very little to do with it.
