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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/

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

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.  
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  • Resources for Academics
    • Reading >
      • Reading Journal
      • Reading Strategies >
        • Vocabulary Strategies
        • Fluency Strategies
        • Comprehension Strategies >
          • Narrative Texts
          • Expository Texts
      • Beginning Readers >
        • Short Vowels
        • Long a, e, i, o
        • Long u and Dipthongs
        • Tricky g
      • Reading Games >
        • Phonemic Awareness
        • Letter and Letter-Sound Recognition
        • Word Recognition
        • Word Study/Vocabulary
        • Comprehension
    • Writing >
      • The Writing Process
      • Writing Games
    • Math >
      • Number, Operation, and Quantiative Reasoning
      • Patterns, Relationships, and Algebraic Reasoning
      • Geometry and Spatial Reasoning
      • Measurement
      • Probability and Statistics
      • Underlying Processes and Mathematical Tools
    • Science >
      • Scientific Investigation and Reasoning
      • Matter and Energy
      • Force, Motion, and Energy
      • Earth and Space
      • Organisms and Environments
    • Social Studies
    • Behavior >
      • In the Classroom
    • Game Templates
  • Resources for Faith
    • Bible Study >
      • Relentless
    • Prayer
    • Verse Cards
    • Coloring Pages
    • Puzzle Pages and Journals >
      • Old Testament
      • New Testament
    • Beginning Readers >
      • Baby Moses in the Basket
      • Believe It, Jesus Lives
      • Lazarus Lives
      • Paul and Silas Shake Free
      • Peter, John, and the Lame Beggar
      • The Blazing Fire
      • The Good Samaritan
      • The Lame Man Healed
      • The Lost Son
      • The Ten Minas
      • The Unmerciful Servant
      • The Workers in the Vineyard
      • Zacchaeus Meets Jesus
    • Games & Activities >
      • Resurrection Sunday
      • Christmas
      • Fruit of the Spirit
    • VBS
  • Resources for Parents
    • Reading >
      • Beginning Readers >
        • Struggling Readers
    • Math
    • Science
    • Social Studies
    • Links