Our brains are not wired to learn how to read; we have to be taught and we have to practice. We need to be taught correctly for solid, long-term reading skills. When reading comes easier, kids are more likely to pick up a book and practice reading. The opposite is also true; if reading is hard, kids are less likely to read for fun. We grow our vocabulary and comprehension through reading. Kids who read often are exposed to millions of words a year, versus only thousands for the struggling readers. Reading also develops language and cognition.
Most kids learn to read by six or seven years old (first or second grade). If a child is not reading by third grade, research shows that it is really hard to catch up. Research also shows that if a child is struggling with reading at the end of 1st grade, they are likely to still be struggling in fourth grade. Catching a struggling reader EARLY (in kindergarten or 1st grade) is so important so they can get early help.
This sounds grim for the struggling reader, but there are ways to support your child at home. We have seen slow (sometimes painfully slow for us), steady progress at home using strategies and tools to help grow reading skills. We are hopeful that our kids will develop functional reading skills eventually.
Wherever you are in your reading journey, finding motivating books to encourage reading practice is huge! I speak from a place of pure experience with my son who is in third grade. He is reading at a first-grade level due to having severe dyslexia. He strongly dislikes reading, but he loves listening to stories. One strategy we use on a daily basis to build his vocabulary, comprehension, and language skill are to listen to stories (reading with your ears). The other thing we do to practice visual reading skills is to find books he is interested in.
We recently were introduced to a series by our amazing school librarian called "The Dragon Masters." I am so grateful because these books were exactly what we needed to help boost his reading and he is so interested in the story line. We co-read together for 20 min/night (about one chapter) and take turns reading. The text is large and there are pictures on the pages to help keep his interest. I am so encouraged by the progress I am seeing in just reading for 20 min/day. He feels less overwhelmed when we take turns, and it also helps his brain hear the fluency of reading.
These are some strategies to work on reading at home over this holiday season, coming from our experience as a family with three kids who all have different levels of dyslexia.
Listen to audio books (all the time, whenever you can). Ask questions during the "ear reading" to make sure they are comprehending and building those comprehension skills. You can do this in the car, before bed, or anytime it fits in best.
Practice reading! This sounds easy but can be so daunting especially when your child resists and does not want to. It is hard to see our children struggle, but they need to practice. Some ways that have helped us:
a. Find books they are interested in. This may take a while, but visit libraries or local
book stores and look for options they are drawn to.
b. Take turns reading. You read a little and then let them either echo back or read
some. This breaks it up and allows them opportunities to hear fluent reading.
c. Set a timer and let them read for short periods daily. Build time as they get more
comfortable and confident.
I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season and can enjoy reading as part of the season.
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