The core problem parents describe

“She can read the words but can’t tell me what happened.”
“He rushes and guesses; the marks disappear on inference questions.”
“She freezes on longer texts and says, ‘I don’t get it.’”

This roadmap tackles those exact pain points with a simple weekly rhythm, tutor-backed routines and scripts you can use tonight.

Week 1: Reset the environment and expectations

Swap speed for clarity: Tell your child, “Our goal this week is to slow down and prove answers with the text.”
Shrink text length: Start with 2–3 short paragraphs so the brain isn’t overloaded.
Read out loud together: Alternate sentences. When you read, model pausing at commas and bolding important words with your voice.
Set a calm pace: 15–20 focused minutes, four times a week, is better than one long, tense session.

Week 2: Build “find and prove” habits

Finger tracking for evidence: As they answer, have them point to the exact sentence. If they can’t point, they’re guessing.
Colour code: Highlight where the answer comes from (yellow for literal, green for inference).
Answer frames: Teach them to start answers with “The text says…” to force a reference back.
Parent script: “Show me the sentence that made you think that. Let’s underline it together.”

Week 3: Decode question types (so they stop guessing)

Who/What/Where: Look for names, numbers, places; skim first, then hunt.
Why/How: Ask, “What is the author trying to make me feel or understand?”
Vocabulary in context: Cover the word, read the sentence without it, guess meaning from clues, then check with a dictionary.
Two-step inference: (a) What is literally said? (b) What must be true because of that?

Week 4: Stamina without stress

Chunk long passages: Fold the page to show only one paragraph at a time.
Micro-pauses: 10-second eye breaks between paragraphs reduce sloppy errors.
Timer discipline: 8–10 minutes per page is fine at this age; speed comes after accuracy.
Energy check: If posture slumps or sighs begin, stop at the next paragraph boundary and end on a win.

Weekly rhythm parents can keep

Day	Focus	Parent prompt
Mon	Short fiction extract	“Let’s find the sentence that proves your answer.”
Wed	Non-fiction (science/news)	“Underline the clue that explains why this happened.”
Fri	Vocabulary & inference mini-drill	“What else could this word mean? What tells you?”
Sun	Review & praise	“This week you improved at ___. Next week we’ll keep that and add ___.”

Fast fixes for common blocks

Rushing: Cover answer options; ask them to summarise the paragraph in 10 words first.
Fear of being wrong: Offer two possible answers yourself, one incorrect; let them critique you.
Low confidence: Start with texts one year below current level to rebuild wins, then step up.
Distracted environment: Sit shoulder-to-shoulder, remove phones, and keep a scrap paper for doodling fidgets.

Make it relevant (so they care)

Choose texts that match their interests: football match reports, animal fact files, short mysteries.
Let them teach you back: “Explain this paragraph to me like I’m in Year 3.” Teaching cements understanding.
Link to real life: “This instruction is like your Lego build — what happens if we skip step 3?”

Parent-friendly tools

Question stems list on the fridge: “What changed from start to end?”, “How is ___ feeling? What words show that?”, “What does the writer want you to believe?”
Evidence bookmarks: A simple sticky note that says “Find it. Underline it. Answer it.”
Timer + highlighters: Set a visible 10-minute timer and pre-select two highlighter colours to avoid faffing.

When to get targeted tutoring

Comprehension scores stuck below expected despite consistent practice.
Avoidance or tears around longer texts.
Big gap between decoding (can read aloud fine) and understanding (can’t explain meaning).

If that sounds familiar, I can run a 30-minute diagnostic, show your child the “find and prove” method, and design a personalised 4-week plan you can follow at home. Book a consult and mention your child’s year group and school so I can prep relevant texts.

Quick FAQ for parents

How long should answers be? 1–2 sentences that cite the text are enough. Quality beats length.
Do audiobooks count? Yes, as long as you pause to ask “What just happened?” and “Why did that character do that?” Listening builds vocabulary and understanding.
What about ESL learners? Pre-teach 3–5 key words before reading. Visuals help. Keep texts slightly easier while vocabulary catches up.
How do we prepare for SATs/11+? Nail evidence-hunting first, then introduce timed practice with official-style questions. I can supply age-appropriate past paper extracts on request.

Keep the loop closed

Each Sunday, jot three notes: (1) What texts worked best, (2) Which question type still causes wobbles, (3) What praise landed. Bring these into our tutoring sessions so I can adjust materials and keep confidence rising without adding stress at home.