Unlocking Reading Comprehension: The Power of the 5Ws and 2Hs Method

Is your child struggling with reading and understanding texts? Fear not. It’s a common challenge! Some kids may find that understanding written materials (such as stories, books, and other materials) is as challenging as solving a puzzle. So why not make reading a game of connecting the dots? Starting with dot “1” and going to dot “2,” and so on, players in connect-the-dots must draw lines connecting the dots in numerical order, one after the other, until they reach the last dot. Reading can be easier if your child connects the dots as they read, allowing them to see the big picture.

The 5’W’s and 2H’s method helps readers to connect the dots, and can help your child develop a better understanding of what they read. So what are the 5W’s and 2H’s?

The 5W’s are: Who, What, When, Where, and Why. These are essential questions to gather information. And the 2Hs ask the questions: How and How Much.

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   1. Who: Refers to a person or character in the story.
   2. What: Focuses on the events and activities that drivel the story/plot forward. What happens in the story? What challenges do the characters face? What is the subject or message of the story?
   3. When: refers to the story’s timeline. Is the time period based in the past, present, or future? Knowing the timeline helps the reader to discover more about the character(s)’ decisions and whether or not their environment or other relationships influence them.
   4. Where: Discusses the story’s setting. Where do the events occur? Is it a location, a city, a town, a country, or just a fantasy? The location determines the mood of the scene and may be crucial for the character and the plot’s development..
   5. Why: Looks at the reason or goal of the character’s actions. Why do the characters choose the things they do? Why did some things happen? The ‘why’ explains further the story’s topic.

The 2H’s – How and How Much: Provide additional information about the story.

How: Gives an answer to the question “how and by what means?” How does the story get better? How does the story go from here? How do the characters swap places and grow over time?

How Much: Provides the amount of detail in the story. (How much is not always included in a story).

Every question your child answers helps them to make sense of and understand the material they are reading. Do the activity below with your child to see how well the technique works. Let’s recap:

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  • Who are the main characters in the story?

• • What is the story about? What is happening?

• • When does the story take place?

• • Where is the story happening?

• • Why are the characters taking action?

• • How did the action happen? What happened first, second, third?

Try this with your child, and tell us about it in the comments.

Yours in Education,
Kai Crooks-Chissano