Have you ever wondered why some kids learn to read quickly and easily and other kids struggle?
Researchers have spent years trying to determine the “why” behind struggling readers. The assumption, when it comes to reading, is that there must be one “system” or “method” that will help students build this skill.
So…then why do so many research studies on methods for teaching reading produce basically no valuable data?
The truth is that reading isn’t just about knowing how to sound out words or being able to memorize a billion words from the dictionary. (Yes.. that’s a honest-to-God teaching method.)
It’s actually about both…
It’s like playing the piano. How do these amazing piano players look at these little drawings placed on a series of lines and somehow translate that to placing their fingers in the correct location?
Even more interesting, how do they do that so quickly that they stay on beat and in time?
The simple answer is muscle memory. They’ve done it so many times that their brain interprets that image on that specific line as a movement.
But when they first get started, they have to slow down and think hard about those notes. It takes a lot of effort and “figuring out.”
In the EXACT SAME WAY, learning to read requires a fair amount of muscle memory. Muscle memory that can only be developed through a lot of time and sounding out.
But getting a struggling reader to practice, practice, practice can sometimes feel like pulling teeth.
Fortunately, with the resources at our disposal these days, it’s not actually all that hard to make reading feel fun and exciting for kids.
Below, I’m sharing my TOP 3 SECRETS that turned my struggling reader into an above average reader in only 6 months
#1 – Listen to Audiobooks as a family.
Now, you may be wondering how audiobooks help with reading. But the truth is, one of the most important parts of learning to read is learning to LOVE books and stories.
I mean, when was the last time you ever wanted to read an encyclopedia. But you better believe that you’ve wanted to read a magazine or watch your favorite show on Netflix. Why? Well, because you know that what’s inside is interesting and entertaining!
School teachers have a bad habit of turning reading into a “must do” (and sort of boring) activity. So kids often look at reading as a chore instead of an exciting adventure. Getting into a few good audiobooks together can help change this perception!
# 2 – Ask them to help you with things that require reading
Kids love to help you. It makes them feel important and needed. So when you ask them to find you the can in the cabinet that says “Lima Beans,” they’ll try… even if they hate to read.
We take this one a step farther and make our grocery trips into a bit of a game. Each kid gets a list that they have to read and then find the items. The child that finds the most is the winner and gets to pick the candy treat they’ll all get at checkout!
#3 (My kid’s favorite) Gamify their learning
Remember that learning to read requires a ton of repetition. And what’s the ONE THING that most kids would do for hours on end?
YUP… video games.
Finding a great video game that teaches kids to read can be a bit tricky, but if you can find one that your kids are interested in, you’ll find that reading becomes “easy” for them pretty quickly!
Our favorite gamified reading app ( by far) is The Night Zookeeper!
We tried finding a “gamified” reading experience for a long time. But a lot of the options out there were just a bit too “babified” for them.
They needed the skills being taught, but they wanted a more exciting game to play. When we found Night Zookeeper, my kids were so invested in the storyline they would rush home from school to play!
They had no idea that they were actually learning to read along the way!
If you’re looking for a good app for teaching your kids reading, you can grab a free trial of the Night Zookeeper here.
You’ll also get 50% off of a full year if you decide to keep it… and I think you will! (It’s seriously awesome.)
They have multiple stories that the kids can “read” (they do actually have to read.. but it feels more like they are playing.
In fact, it feels a bit like being in control of a tv show! That’s probably why my kids love it so much.
We hit the full screen button on the stories and they head off onto an adventure, trying to save the zoo from evil enemies.
Honestly, it’s probably one of the best gamified learning apps we’ve ever tried!
When kids are ENJOYING something, they’ll do it over and over again. That’s why this is probably the most effective thing you can do to help your struggling reader.
So jump over to their site and grab a free trial. Let your kids click around a bit in the game and just see how things go!
FAQs
Researchers have identified three main types of struggling readers. There are students with specific-word, specific-comprehension and mixed-reading difficulties. Teachers can help students access books with vocabulary that matches their ability by employing popular strategies to help struggling readers.
How do you help an older struggling reader? ›
To help older students restore foundational reading skills, parents and educators can utilize the following strategies:
- Graphic organizers.
- Small groups phonics instruction.
- Personalized instruction to meet each student's history and needs, with an emphasis on vocabulary and writing.
Comprehension
Many children struggle with comprehension when they're learning to read. They may focus on something else, such as the pictures in the book or simply being able to read aloud, and this detracts from their overall understanding.
How do poor readers read? ›
Typical poor readers rarely prepare before reading. They often begin to read without setting goals. They seldom consider how best to read a particular type of text. During reading, poor readers may have difficulty decoding, and so have difficulty reading the words of their texts accurately.
What is the best intervention for struggling readers? ›
The most commonly used strategy to improve reading fluency is the reading and rereading of familiar texts. Opportunities to read aloud, with guidance from teachers, peers or parents, are also associated with the development of fluent reading.
What are the 4 blocks of reading? ›
By incorporating different approaches to reading instruction on a daily basis (Self-Selected Reading, Writing, Working with Words, and Guided Reading) this model aims to reach all types and lev- els of readers.
Why is it harder to read as you get older? ›
Reading fine print is not as easy as it used to be, because the lenses in our eyes change as time progresses. When you are young the lens in your eyes are able to flex and change shape, but when we get older the lens becomes stiffer and is difficult to adjust to reading fine print.
Do struggling readers catch up? ›
Reading scientists have long recognized that students who fall behind in kindergarten or first grade are also likely to never catch up—unless they receive before third grade the kind of intensive interventions that third-grade promotion gates are intended to trigger.
What is dislexia? ›
Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that primarily affects the skills involved in accurate and fluent word reading and spelling. Characteristic features of dyslexia are difficulties in phonological awareness, verbal memory and verbal processing speed. Dyslexia occurs across the range of intellectual abilities.
What is the root cause of struggling readers? ›
Children may struggle with reading for a variety of reasons, including limited experience with books, speech and hearing problems, and poor phonemic awareness.
Struggling readers usually experience difficulty learning to read for one of three reasons - they may have difficulty with word recognition, language comprehension, or word recognition and language comprehension.
Why am I struggling to read? ›
Physical challenges can cause trouble reading
Physical changes, such as accidents or chronic disease, can also affect your ability to read. Examples include: Poor vision. Maybe you have double vision, or you can't see up close, or maybe it's hard to read in a room that isn't well lighted.
What is the root cause of poor reading comprehension? ›
Comprehension problems result from medical reasons such as dyslexia and ADHD. Poor grasp also happens when you are anxious or when the text you are reading is complex and unfamiliar. Other reasons are difficulties recognizing and decoding words, limited vocabulary, and low interest or motivation.
What is the most common cause of poor reading comprehension? ›
The most common reasons why students have poor reading comprehension are unfamiliarity with complex words or vocabulary, difficulty in understanding sentences and paragraphs, and difficulty in identifying main ideas and text structures.
What are the common poor reading habits? ›
9 Common Bad Reading Habits
- One word at a time. Reading word by word resulting in too many focus stops.
- Vocalization. ...
- Subvocalization. ...
- Skipping back. ...
- Skipping preparation steps such as previewing to get the main idea.
- Lack of comprehension, e.g. little knowledge about the topic.
- Loss of attention. ...
- Environment.
There are three different styles of reading academic texts: skimming, scanning, and in-depth reading. Each is used for a specific purpose.
What are the three types of readers? ›
Jenifer Ashby The three types of readers are; the developing reading, dormant reader, and lastly the underground reader.
What are the 3 levels of reading of reading development? ›
A handy guide to the three levels of reading: literal, inferential and evaluative.
What is the 3 read approach to literacy? ›
The first read children will be read the whole story, second read is where children will have conversations with the practitioners discussing the character, setting, action, problem and resolution within the story and the third read where children will be encouraged to make predictions about the story, make connections ...
