10 Tips for Struggling Readers with author Candice Lemon-Scott

1) Role model. Kids learn best through example, so be a reader too. Talk about books and  what you’ve read with excitement – enthusiasm is contagious.

2) Read aloud. Reading to a child from birth fosters a love of books and of story. It creates familiarity with stories and words so reading isn’t a daunting prospect when faced with that first reader. I still read to my children at 10 and 13.

3) Take turns. For some kids, one look at a page full of words is enough to make them panic. Start by reading the text to the reader yourself first. Then you can take turns reading. Swap a word for a word, a sentence for a sentence, a paragraph for a paragraph and so on. Don’t leave her struggling over difficult words.

4) Choose books with pictures. Some kids are visual and pictures help with understanding, and with breaking up the text, so it’s not so overwhelming. Try a picture book, comic, graphic novel, magazine, non-fiction book with photos etc.

5) Find an interest. Some kids are interested in fairy tales, some in non-fiction, some in poetry. Allowing children to read what appeals to them can have a big impact on willingness to learn.

6) Talk, talk, talk. Talk about the book before reading, during reading, after reading. This engages a child with the text and helps with word recognition.

7) Exposure. Take your reader to the library, go to story sessions, visit bookshops, attend book launches, fill shelves with books, find pre-loved books. Make reading part of your evening routine every day. The more varied the exposure the better.

8) Limit screen time. One of the greatest deterrents to reading today is the easy access, excitement and addictiveness of screens. Set strict time limits on it and reduce the amount of screen time if needed.

9) See a professional. If you are concerned there might be a learning difficulty involved, get a professional to conduct tests for any issues that may affect reading. My daughter underwent eye therapy for focusing issues and it was a tremendous help. 

10) Stress less. It’s easy to become frustrated and worried the struggling reader will ‘never learn to read.’ But if you’re stressed, or the child is pressured, there is sure to be resistance. Relax and allow the struggling reader to learn in her own time. Most importantly, make reading fun.