Struggling Readers
If your child does not meet grade level expectations and needs more help, use additional resources to provide your child with the necessary instruction to become a good reader.
Actions You Can Take
If your child goes to school, schedule a meeting with your child's teacher. Discuss your concerns. Point out the red flags that let you know your child needs help. Ask your child's teacher what is being done to help your child. Most public schools offer additional reading instruction for struggling readers. You can see if your child qualifies for extra instruction or what the instruction actually includes.
You can consult a reading specialist. If you homeschool, or you are not satisfied with the instruction your child's school is providing, consult a reading expert. You can either get advice about what you can do specifically for your child, or get tutoring for your child. Local colleges with departments of education are good places to contact when searching for reading consultants.
In the Dallas area, you can contact Southern Methodist University's Mustang Learning Center. http://smu.edu/education/youth/mustang_learning_center_for_youth/
You can consult a reading specialist. If you homeschool, or you are not satisfied with the instruction your child's school is providing, consult a reading expert. You can either get advice about what you can do specifically for your child, or get tutoring for your child. Local colleges with departments of education are good places to contact when searching for reading consultants.
In the Dallas area, you can contact Southern Methodist University's Mustang Learning Center. http://smu.edu/education/youth/mustang_learning_center_for_youth/
Books You Can Read
Straight Talk About Reading by Susan Hall and Louisa Moats
Overcoming Dyslexia: A New and Complete Science-Based Program for Reading Problems at Any Level by Sally Shaywitz
Parenting a Struggling Reader by Susan Hall
Overcoming Dyslexia: A New and Complete Science-Based Program for Reading Problems at Any Level by Sally Shaywitz
Parenting a Struggling Reader by Susan Hall
Support You Can Provide
Remember to keep reading fun. If your child struggles, read to your child, instead of having your child read to you. Or read one page first, and then have your child reread the page. It is important to keep reading, and to make the experience enjoyable.
You can increase motivation to read by providing positive reinforcement. You can give your child a reward for spending a predetermined amount of time reading. You can stop for ice cream after your trips to the library. Although the goal is for children to read for intrinsic reasons, some struggling readers need extrinsic reasons to motivate them until they become good readers.
When your child does read to you, remember to correct their mistakes immediately. Either ask your child to decode the word, or tell your child the word. "That word is __________. What is that word?" Then restart the sentence and continue reading.
Encourage your child. Let them know that you will help them, and that you know learning to read is hard. Just like they struggled to learn to walk at first, and now they don't even have to think about it, if they keep practicing, soon reading will be automatic and they won't even have to think about what to do.
You can increase motivation to read by providing positive reinforcement. You can give your child a reward for spending a predetermined amount of time reading. You can stop for ice cream after your trips to the library. Although the goal is for children to read for intrinsic reasons, some struggling readers need extrinsic reasons to motivate them until they become good readers.
When your child does read to you, remember to correct their mistakes immediately. Either ask your child to decode the word, or tell your child the word. "That word is __________. What is that word?" Then restart the sentence and continue reading.
Encourage your child. Let them know that you will help them, and that you know learning to read is hard. Just like they struggled to learn to walk at first, and now they don't even have to think about it, if they keep practicing, soon reading will be automatic and they won't even have to think about what to do.
