When your child struggles to read

I have worked with many children who have learnt over time that they don’t enjoy reading. It is not unusual for a child to avoid any reading activities when they struggle to decode the words on the page. This can start as early as year 1, becoming more of a problem as time progresses and they develop more self awareness. By about year 4 your child may be experiencing a dip in confidence and self esteem because they are realising that their friends might be finding things easier in class than they are. 8-9 years old is the probably the most common age parents begin to think about trying to get help for their child if they haven’t already.

An assessment is useful to delve into the reasons for their struggles however, there are things you can do before you make that decision, to help them develop their decoding skills, build their vocabulary and find other ways to keep them motivated to read.

Paired reading

Take turns to read parts of a book they have chosen. When you read to them, you could start by encouraging them to read a few words at a time if they are really resisting, or a sentence if they are willing to try. Take your cues from them and don’t push them if they have said they don’t want to read anymore. If they stumble over words gently help them if they need it. Use your finger to read along with them. This will help to build a visual memory of the words as they read along with you.

Let them choose the material

Some children with dyslexia prefer factual material to stories. I always ask my students why this is and the answers I get vary from the fact they find it easier to picture and understand factual material to the way facts are laid out in some books. Short, punchy statements in books like The Guiness Book Of World Records are easy to remember, quick to read and will give a child a sense of achievement to complete a section on a page. Stories often involve inference, trying to imagine beyond the words on the page, which can be difficult when it’s hard to read the words in the first place.

Turn reading into a game

Create word scavenger hunts. You can turn everyday activities into reading games. For example, in the car or during a walk you can ask your child to spot words on signs, labels or signposts. You could create flash cards to hide around the house. Blank playing cards are useful for creating your own flash cards. These can be found on Amazon. Write your own cards using words with the same spelling pattern. More on that later.

Turn the subtitles on their favourite programmes

Turning the subtitles on means a very subtle and subconscious way of exposing them to vocabulary. Their eyes will rest on the words as they are spoken outloud without them realising, and before long, commonly spoken words will become more familiar.

Next week - spelling tips!