Good reading comprehension in English comes only with practice. The basic aspects of reading, such as word recognition, phonetics and fluency, can be mastered in just a few years. However, throughout this process reading comprehension must be emphasized. Students may be able to eloquently repeat the words that they see on a page all day, but without reading comprehension skills, they are unable to fully understand the content, predict what will happen next, recognize characters, gain insight or understanding to build upon, or relate what they are reading to their own life's experience.
Sadly, classrooms across Thailand have students who struggle with reading comprehension. They may be able to phonetically decipher words and sound them out, but that is the extent of their ability to read. They don't know what the words actually mean. They don't have the reading comprehension skills to fully grasp concepts, ideas and word phrases expressed in written text. Whether to gain understanding, develop a new skill, or for pure pleasure of reading, full comprehension of what you read is necessary. Reading comprehension is also imperative for a successful career and to excel academically.