Reading Help
Why Is Reading So Hard?
“Why can my child speak so well, but struggle with learning to read? Why is reading so hard?” Those are questions asked by many parents of kids with reading issues. Hear from literacy expert Margie Gillis, Ed.D, on how the brain changes when we learn to read, and why those changes may happen more slowly in some kids than others. (From Understood)
Motivating Children to Learn
Your child’s motivation is the “key to persistence and to learning that lasts.” During this time of unknowns and changes, we know that your child may not be as motivated to read, write, or even learn. Many different things may be causing this lack of motivation but there are also many different things to try to help your child enjoy reading, writing, and learning! Check out this guide for more ideas!
Making Reading Important at Home
The most important thing that you can do to help your children love books and to become good readers is to include books every day in family life. Here is a checklist that you can go and put checks next to things that you already do and starts next to ideas you would like to try in your family.
Reading at Home Ideas
You are your child's first teacher, and reading with your child is a proven way to promote early literacy. Helping to make sure your child is reading on grade-level by third grade is one of the most important things you can do prepare him or her for the future. By reading with your child for 20 minutes per day and making a few simple strategies a part of your daily home routine, you can make a positive impact on your child's success in school. This guide includes activities and videos to help your child practice 6 of the components of literacy:
Phonemic Awareness
Phonics
Fluency
Vocabulary
Comprehension
Writing
Figuring Out New Words
Copy of Duke Schutz List of Prompts Intro Page FINAL.pdfYour child may struggle to read new words. What can be done to help kids learn how to figure out these new words? It depends! Here are a few things to consider:
Sound It Out: This strategy works better for young children with words like 'can' or 'flip.' Also, try asking your Kindergartener or 1st grader to 'slide through each sound' instead of 'sound it out.' This will encourage them to blend or push the sounds together.
Try Other Strategies: Sounding out words isn't the end-all-be-all for figuring out words. As kids progress in their word knowledge, we want them to use other strategies. Also, some words are not so easy to sound out. Try these strategies if they are right for your child and the word:
Look for the parts you know. For example, your child might know 'at' so they can read 'cat.'
Break the word apart into its parts. For example, your child might break apart 'joyful' into 'joy' and 'ful.'
Try a different sound for a vowel. For example, your child may need to dry a different sound for 'a' when reading 'nation.'
Tell Your Child the Word: Sometimes your child might not be able to figure out the word. Sometimes your child may be too frustrated. Tell them the word. One of our goals is to get kids to keep reading so limit frustration. You can always ask your child's teacher for more ways to help.
Helping Struggling Readers
Did you know that learning to read is a challenge for almost 40 percent of kids? The good news is that with early help, most reading problems can be prevented. The bad news is that nearly half of all parents who notice their child having trouble wait a year or more before getting help. Unfortunately, the older a child is, the more difficult it is to teach him or her to read. If a child can't read well by the end of third grade, odds are that he or she will never catch up. And the effects of falling behind and feeling like a failure can be devastating.
Early identification is crucial. If you suspect a problem, don't hesitate! Learn about reading difficulties, get your child assessed, find out what you can do to help your struggling reader, and don't give up!
Articles to Check Out:
What it takes to learn to read, the achievement gap, and how we can help struggling readers
What else suffers when kids struggle in school and what they can do to help themselves