Strategies to
Improve Reading Skills at Home or School
Ann Logsdon
Does your child struggle with reading skills?
As parents, we naturally want to help our children learn.
Sometimes though, it is difficult
to know just how to do that because teaching methods
change as research on basic reading
and reading comprehension identifies better strategies to
develop specially designed instruction
for reading disorders such as dyslexia.
Despite this, there are some strategies
you can use with your child at home that do not
involve direct instruction
and are unlikely to conflict with strategies your child's
teachers use at school.
Providing this additional help will, over time,
dramatically improve your child's reading skills.
Easy Reading
Strategies for Parents to Use at Home
Participate in Library Reading Programs: Most libraries
offer organized reading programs
during school breaks for students based on their school
levels. Many of these programs
are themed and showcase some of the best works for
children and young adults.
The library staff may host activities based on books and
have special events
and field trips designed to help students explore
the literature on a deeper level.
Librarians are usually happy to help your child and can
help find ways
to involve all levels of readers within an age group.
Explore Different
Forms of Reading Material:
Check out works in both their book forms and books
on tape, CD, or digital recording forms.
Many of the highest rated literature for children and
young adults is available on tape
and in book form. By having your student read along in
the book while listening
to the same book on tape, you are providing excellent reading
benefits. The student sees
and hears words and phrases together, a good way to
reinforce sight-word recognition.
Your child may also benefit from assistive
technology such as text readers.
These methods provide the student exposure to works he
might not otherwise choose to read because of the difficulty. He can gain
knowledge of the content and increase vocabulary
without having to struggle through the book and perhaps
be discouraged.
Compare Books to Film:
Have your student read a book and then check out the
video version of a book.
Talk about the similarities and differences in the two
mediums. What did she like
about each form? What didn't she like? Did she prefer the
book or the movie, and why?
Study Reading
Vocabulary:
As your student reads books, have her make a list of
words that were difficult or unfamiliar
in the book. Make flashcards of these words, spend some
time together talking
about the meanings and looking them up in the dictionary.
Take turns showing the cards
and guessing the words and meanings. As the student
masters each word,
remove it from the deck and put it in a place of honor.
When the whole deck is mastered, celebrate with a special
reward.
Strengthen
Spelling Skills:
Use the same deck created in number 3 above. Have your
child learn the spelling of each word. Practice the spelling. When your child
feels ready, have him write the words on paper.
Give him a reward for each mistake he finds and corrects.
This is a great strategy to use throughout the year. It
teaches students to self-correct
and also reduces their fear of trying to tackle difficult
words.
Young students may enjoy using multisensory
techniques for these activities.
Read the old
fashioned way:
Take turns reading passages, or allow your child to
follow along as you read.
Compare Authors' Books: Have your child read two
books by the same author.
It is a good idea for you to read them too so you can
discuss them. Compare how they are similar
and how they are different. Which
did you and your child like best? Why?
Most important, remember to keep your reading activities
at home stress free.
Use mistakes as teachable moments. If your child
gets tired of reading, take turns,
or take a break. For most elementary aged students with learning
disabilities,
about fifteen to twenty minutes of reading at least three
days a week is a good place to begin.
If your child wants more time, then allow that to happen.
If your child becomes frustrated,
and has difficulty focusing for that amount of time,
shorten the time, and consider a shorter text
or a lower reading level.
Establish a cozy and nurturing environment when reading.
A bed time snuggle or a mid-afternoon read on the porch
swing are some ideas.
Involve your child in planning your reading sessions, and
enjoy your time together
as you get ready for school and get ready to read.
Activities like these are important for children with learning
disabilities
because they involve reading in a low-stress, enjoyable
situation. Using these strategies regularly with your child will build skills
and encourage them to see reading as a rewarding activity.
Is your child still reluctant to read? If so, try these tested
and effective strategies.
http://learningdisabilities.about.com/od/instructionalmaterials/a/actvtoimprvread.htm
You can TCR specialist and language dictionaries that
are spontaneously
accessed.
I can Turbo Charge Read a novel 6-7 times faster and remember what
I’ve read.
I can TCR an instructional/academic book around 20 times faster and remember what I’ve read.
A
practical overview of Turbo
Charged Reading YouTube
How to choose a
book. A Turbo Charged Reading
YouTube
Advanced Reading Skills Perhaps you’d like
to join my FaceBook group ?
Perhaps you’d like to check
out my sister blogs:
www.innermindworking.blogspot.com gives ways for you to work with the stresses
of life
www.ourinnerminds.blogspot.com
take
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just for fun.
To quote the Dr Seuss himself,
“The more that you read, the more things you will know.
The more that you learn; the
more places you'll go.”
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