Reading is a complex skill that requires the brain to perform many tasks simultaneously, including decoding words, understanding their meaning, and reading fluently. As a special education teacher and reading tutor with seven years of experience, I can attest to the importance of early intervention in preventing long-term struggles and managing confidence issues. Many children struggle with reading and when they do it can impact their confidence, academic performance, and future opportunities.
Here is a guide to nine essential steps to help you support your child on their reading journey.
1. Observe Your Child’s Behaviors Toward Reading
The first step in addressing reading challenges is identifying whether your child is struggling. Pay attention to how they approach reading. Key indicators of difficulty include:
- Avoiding books or reading-related activities
- Frustration or tears when asked to read
- Reading at a laborious pace
- Trouble sounding out words or blending sounds
- Difficulty understanding or remembering what they’ve read
These behaviors don’t always mean there’s a serious issue, but they signal a need to dig deeper.
2. Identify the Specific Reading Challenge
It is important to know what to look for in order to identify the specific area of reading your child is having a hard time with. Here’s a breakdown of the specific reading skills needed to be an effective reader and the specific warning signs for each skill.
- Phonemic Awareness – the ability to identify, hear and manipulate the individual sounds in spoken words. An interesting way to remember what phonemic awareness is: it can be done in the dark since it strictly involves working with sounds.
- Warning signs: difficulty with the following – rhyming, identifying the first sound in words, breaking words down into individual sounds, hearing the difference between similar sounds such as ‘hat’ and ‘mat’.
- Phonics – the sounds that are assigned to written letters; phonics is used to sound out unfamiliar words.
- Warning signs: has trouble with – sounding out words, identifying similar-looking letters, blending sounds together to form words
- Fluency – the ability to read text accurately, with appropriate expression, and with a moderate pace.
- Warning signs: reading slowly, frequent pauses between words, reading aloud in a monotone voice, stopping frequently to sound out words
- Vocabulary – words that can be read and understood
- Warning signs: misunderstanding what was read, asking frequently what words mean
- Comprehension – the ability to understand and find meaning from written text.
- Warning signs: difficulty with grasping the meaning of words, recalling what was read, answering questions about the text
Understanding these pieces and what aspect your child is having difficulty with is the first step in creating an effective support plan.
3. Create a Supportive Reading Environment
Being able to focus during reading time is essential to contributing toward enjoyment and effectiveness in reading. If focus is an issue during reading time, try these tips:
- Create an Inviting Reading Space: It doesn’t take anything too elaborate to create a cozy, quiet space devoted to reading. Talking with your child and getting their input on what they would like for their space can make it fun and personal to them. You can make the space pleasant by including a comfy chair or bean bag and some soft lighting. Providing a variety of age-appropriate books encourages children to explore reading on their own. Make it a screen-free space and eliminate other distractions.
- Incorporate Breaks and Movement: Allowing your child to take short breaks during longer sessions helps reset their focus. Some ideas include stretching, a quick dance break, or a quick step outside to breathe in some fresh air and get a change of environment.
- Use Visual and Auditory Cues: Tools like bookmarks, highlighters, or audiobooks can help guide attention and keep your child.
Children who feel supported are more likely to engage in reading activities and persevere through challenges.
4. Help with Phonics and Decoding
Phonics and decoding are foundational to reading success. If your child struggles in this area, try these strategies:
- Phonics Games and Tools: Incorporate interactive activities such as phonics bingo, phonics go fish, and letter dice. Tools like decodable readers using predictable word patterns can help build confidence.
- Practice Repetition and Patterns: Do some rhyming activities and clap to count syllables. Incorporating lots of movement and songs is a nice way to make rhyming and syllables more engaging.
- Multi-Sensory Learning: Include activities that engage multiple senses, such as pressing playdough to count the sounds in a word, using colorful tiles to build words, jumping to count the syllables in a word, and writing letters in a tray of sand.
5. Build Comprehension Skills
Once children decode words, they need to understand what they are reading. If comprehension is a challenge, these techniques can help:
- To increase Vocabulary, try activities like acting out words, connecting new words to real-life experiences, and using pictures to illustrate words.
- Ask Open-Ended Questions: During or after reading, ask questions like, “Why do you think the character did that?” or “What do you think will happen next?” These encourage critical thinking.
- Use Graphic Organizers: Tools like story maps or sequence charts can help kids organize ideas and make sense of what they are reading.
- Build Background Knowledge: Discuss themes, new words, or ideas before reading. It can be fun to connect to experiences your child has already had or to research a brand new topic. Providing context makes it easier for children to connect with the story.
6. Boost Fluency
Fluent readers can focus on meaning instead of struggling with each word. To improve fluency:
- Practice High-Frequency Words: Use flashcards to practice sight words. You can even post cards throughout your home or do a scavenger hunt. Over time, recognizing these quickly will speed up reading.
- Model Fluent Reading: Reading aloud to your child shows how to read with rhythm, expression, and flow. Invite them to echo-read sentences after you.
- Timed Reading Exercises: Set a timer for one minute and have your child read a passage. Repeat with the same text, encouraging them to read a little faster each time.
7. Monitor Progress and Adjust Strategies
Paying attention to your child’s progress is essential to determine whether the strategies you are implementing are effective. Consistent observation helps identify areas of improvement and allows you to pivot as needed. For example:
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- If a child has improved greatly with phonics but struggles with comprehension, the focus can shift to vocabulary development and critical thinking skills.
- If progress is slow, alternative strategies or additional support may be necessary.
Continuous evaluation ensures that your child remains on track and receives the most effective support.
8. Know When to Seek Professional Help
Sometimes, reading challenges persist despite your best efforts. When this happens, consider reaching out to professionals:
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- Signs to Watch For: If your child continues to struggle significantly or becomes increasingly frustrated, they may benefit from specialized support.
- Options for Support: Explore , intervention programs, or with a reading specialist. Many schools and online programs also offer valuable resources for struggling readers.
- Team Up with Teachers and Tutors: Share your observations and ask for input. Collaboration ensures your child gets consistent support at home and school.
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9. Encourage and Empower Your Reader
Above all, remember that progress takes time, patience, and effort. Celebrate every bit of progress, no matter how small, and keep your child motivated. Remind them that everyone learns at their own pace and that challenges are just opportunities to grow stronger.
Conclusion
Every child can become a confident, capable reader with the right support. By identifying reading challenges early and using targeted strategies, you can set your child on a path to success. Whether it’s practicing phonics games, creating a distraction-free reading space, or seeking help from a tutor, your efforts make a lasting difference.
Now is the time to start by observing, encouraging, and taking steps to unlock your child’s full reading potential. You’ve got this!
