As a parent, you want your child to succeed in school, and one of the most important skills for academic success is reading. However, many children struggle with reading at some point, and it can be frustrating for both the child and the parent. At Read Smart, we specialize in helping students overcome reading difficulties and improve their reading skills. In this blog post, we will discuss some common reading difficulties and how to overcome them.
Struggling with Phonemic Awareness
Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear and manipulate the sounds in words. It is an important foundation for reading and spelling. Children who struggle with phonemic awareness may have difficulty identifying and manipulating the individual sounds in words, which can make it difficult for them to learn to read and spell.
To help your child improve their phonemic awareness, you can try the following:
- Play sound games, such as rhyming, syllable segmentation, and sound substitution.
- Read nursery rhymes and other rhyming books with your child.
- Have your child clap out the syllables in words.
- Have your child stretch out words and say the individual sounds.
Struggling with Phonics
Phonics is the understanding that there is a relationship between the sounds of spoken language and the letters that represent those sounds in written language. Children who struggle with phonics may have difficulty decoding unfamiliar words and may rely too heavily on context clues or sight words.
To help your child improve their phonics skills, you can try the following:
- Practice letter-sound correspondences with your child.
- Have your child sound out unfamiliar words using their phonics skills.
- Encourage your child to use their phonics skills to write words.
- Provide plenty of opportunities for your child to read phonetically regular words.
Struggling with Fluency
Fluency is the ability to read text accurately and with expression. Children who struggle with fluency may have difficulty reading smoothly, accurately, and with expression. They may also have difficulty comprehending what they are reading.
To help your child improve their fluency, you can try the following:
- Read aloud to your child on a regular basis.
- Have your child read aloud to you.
- Practice repeated readings of the same text with your child.
- Encourage your child to use expression when reading aloud.
Struggling with Comprehension
Comprehension is the ability to understand and interpret what is being read. Children who struggle with comprehension may have difficulty understanding the meaning of what they are reading, making connections between the text and their own experiences, and asking and answering questions about the text.
To help your child improve their comprehension skills, you can try the following:
- Discuss what your child is reading with them.
- Encourage your child to ask and answer questions about the text.
- Have your child summarize what they have read.
- Encourage your child to make connections between the text and their own experiences.
Struggling with Motivation
Some children may struggle with reading because they are not motivated to read. They may find reading boring or may not see the value in it.
To help your child develop a love of reading, you can try the following:
- Provide a wide variety of reading materials, including books, magazines, and websites.
- Let your child choose their own reading materials.
- Read aloud to your child on a regular basis.
- Discuss what you are reading with your child.
In conclusion, reading difficulties are common among children and can be frustrating for both the child and the parent. However, with the right strategies and support, your child can overcome their reading difficulties and become a confident reader. At Read Smart, we specialize in helping students overcome reading difficulties and improve their reading skills. If your child is struggling with reading, don’t hesitate to contact us. We are here to help your child succeed.
