In addition to the strategy of predicting that was introduced last month, making connections also helps children improve their understanding.  Students connect their background knowledge to the text they are reading. They may have a text-to-text, text-to-self, or text-to-world connection.

Purpose of the strategy:

• Readers comprehend better when they actively think about and apply their knowledge of the book's topic, their own experiences, and the world around them.

How to help your child use this strategy:

To help your child make connections while they are reading, ask him/her the following questions.

• What does the book remind you of?   
• What do you know about the book's topic? 
• Does this book remind you of another book?