Advancing Reading Proficiency
As your child develops through upper elementary, their reading proficiency does as well. Advanced reading proficiency means children can read fluently, understand deeper meanings, and think critically about what they read. At this stage, readers move beyond “what happened” and begin analyzing why it happened, what it means, and how it connects to other ideas or real life. They also read at a much faster pace, as they are able to decode these words by sight, allowing them to focus on the deeper ideas of the text.
Activities for Families
Book Review Creators
Have your child become a book critic and create a review.
They can:
-Give star ratings ⭐
-Draw a favorite scene
-Record a short video or audio review
-Write or say one recommendation sentence (“I recommend this book because…”)
Make it Immerseive:
Create a “family book review wall” where everyone posts their reviews."I'm cutting the apple—it's juicy!"
Create a "BookTok" style video: Kids create short, fun videos reviewing their book using trends, acting, or dramatic reactions.
Book in a Bag:
Put 3–5 items in a bag that represent parts of the story.
Your child explains how each item connects to the book.
Children who struggle with writing can use drawings, emojis, or spoken recordings instead.
“Think, Connect, & Review” Reading Routine
This activity helps children stop, think about what they are reading, and put ideas into their own words. By making connections and tracking their understanding, children become more active, confident, and thoughtful readers (Boryga, 2024).
Help your child connect the story to their life or the world:
“Does this remind you of something you’ve experienced?”
“Does this relate to something happening in the world?”
*This can be done as you pause the story when reading together.
While reading, give your child sticky notes (or scrap paper) to track their thinking:
Paraphrase: “What just happened?” (Say or write it in your own words)
Make a Connection: “This reminds me of…” (me, another book, or the world)
Monitor Understanding:
“Does this make sense?” or “I’m confused about…”
Encourage connections from any culture or background—this validates diverse experiences.
Children can draw, use symbols, or speak their ideas instead of writing full sentences. For multilingual learners, allow responses in their home language first, then connect to English, and for busy families, this can be done with just a few quick notes instead of the full routine.
Predict and Check
Inferencing helps children figure out ideas that are not directly stated in the text by using clues and their own thinking. This skill builds deeper understanding because readers learn to “read between the lines ” and make meaning beyond the words on the page (Hall, 2017).
Pause while reading and ask:
“What do you think will happen next?”
After reading, go back and check predictions.
Make it interactive:
Keep a “prediction tracker” and celebrate correct (or creative!) guesses.
"Reading between the lines"