Reading comprehension--is this normal?

[plansrme]

My daughter is 7, almost 8. This is our first year of homeschooling. She reads fluently but has real trouble when asked to derive anything that isn't set out explicitly in the text. For example, she read a paragraph yesterday about how an Indian woman saved Lewis and Clark by telling her chief (whose warriors wanted to kill them all) that she had been kidnapped as a young girl by some Blackfeet Indians and then sold to some white men who were kind to her. The woman tells her chief that these men are like those white men who were kind to me, so "do them no hurt." I asked my daughter, "What did the woman do to save Lewis and Clark?" No idea. She read it again, silently, knowing in advance what the question was. Her sister read it to her (I was driving). Still no idea, apparently because the text didn't say, "This lady saved Lewis & Clark by...." We later discussed what a "border dispute" was. I explained, again, what a border is and defined "dispute." Still, she had no idea how to put the definitions of border and dispute together to come up with a definition of border dispute.
These are not isolated instances, just the most recent. So my question is whether this gap in her abstract thinking is normal for a 2nd grader or whether we need to be setting up an appointment with an educational psychologist. Other possibly pertinent information: she excels in math, could go pro at "Memory," is left-handed, never reads for pleasure and was adopted from China at 15 mos.
Thanks,
Terri

[Mandamom]

It is normal in my house. I have a dd7 and dd5, fluent readers, and this is very difficult for them. I spoke with dd7 teacher (30 years of experience) and she told me it is very typical of 7 year olds. So, I just keep working on it at home. I am seeing improvement so I'm confident in a year or so I'll have something else to worry about :eek:

[Scarlett]

I also have an almost 8 year old. His LA lessons right now are focusing on inferences so I am assuming this is the age that they intend for them to start learning this concept. It is just a new thing for her. What works for my ds is to provide many examples of what you are looking for specifically....I think sometimes they do 'get' it, they just don't really understand the question.

[StacyWithFourRugrats]

My almost 8 year old has problems with comprehension also. He can read at a 6th grade level but can not tell you the simplest description about what he read. It is a slow process but I generally use pointed questions at this point, hoping to slowly get comprehension better. I have been told that this is normal for the age though. Some kids are great with comprehension, some others have a hard time relaying what they have read.

I do need to note that my ds has an expressive/receptive language issue that adds onto the problem. He has improved greatly in the last 3 years though. He started off not being able to answer any "w" questions (who, what, why".