How to Help a Struggling Reader: Practical Tips on Improving Reading Skills

Reading is a crucial skill that enables kids to access new information and ideas as well as develop personally, intellectually, and professionally. Without strong reading skills, it’s nearly impossible for students to succeed in school, career, and life after graduation. This is why there’s no denying the importance of reading for students at any age. In fact, developing stronger reading skills early on can help improve future success in all subjects throughout the rest of their education. If you have a child who struggles with reading comprehension or fluency, don’t panic! You aren’t alone—many parents struggle with this at some point during their child’s schooling. Luckily, we have tons of practical reading tips that can help your child (or you) crack the code on improving their reading skills.

What is Reading Comprehension?

Reading Comprehension is the process of “getting” the information contained in a text. It allows the reader to make meaning from the content, understand its relevance, and apply it to his or her own life.

Strong reading comprehension skills allow students to do the following:

• Understand the main idea and key details of the text’s information
• Interpret the text’s meaning and significance, and apply it to other contexts
• Make inferences based on what they’ve read
• Ask questions while reading to understand the information better
• Make predictions about what they’ll read next
• Use critical reading skills, like evaluating arguments and weighing evidence

Also check out this amazing blog on Storytelling For Kids – Why Is It The Most Important Part Of Routine?

Improve their Leading Comprehension Skills

Reading Comprehension is an essential skill that all students should be able to master. Fortunately, there are a ton of ways to help struggling readers practice and improve their comprehension skills.

Here are a few tips:

• Ask your child to summarize what they’ve read. This forces them to review the information and think critically about it, which will help them retain it and apply it to their lives. Make sure to praise them for their effort!
• Form questions about the reading material. This will also help your child make meaning from what he or she has read.
• Have your child read out loud. This will help them articulate the information and pronounce it properly.
• Have your child read with a buddy. This can help your child feel less self-conscious about their reading skills and make reading a more social activity.
• Use graphic organizers to help your child organize and sequence the story’s main ideas. This can help them critically assess the information and relate it to other topics.
• Encourage your child to ask questions while they’re reading. This will help them critically assess the information and make inferences based on it.

Help Your Struggling Reader with Fluency Practice

Fluency is the ability to read with accuracy and speed. It’s important to note that it’s not the same as Comprehension. It’s a skill that’s separate from reading comprehension; in fact, it plays a role in helping improve comprehension skills. If your child struggles with reading fluency, you can do a few things to help them.

Here are some tips:

• Have your child read out loud. This will help them get into the “flow” of reading and help them become more comfortable with the process.
• Have your child read with a buddy. This can help reduce any self-consciousness or feelings of shame your child may feel about their reading skills. It can also help them build confidence as a reader.
• Set goals for your child. This will help them stay focused on improving their reading speed and accuracy.
• Ask your child to use a finger to follow along as they read. This can also help them get into the flow of reading and help them become more comfortable with the process.
• Encourage your child to take breaks while they read. This can help reduce eye strain and help them focus more easily on the information they’re reading.

Step-by-step Guide to Develop Stronger Reading Skills

If your child is struggling to master reading comprehension, you can follow a few essential steps to help guide them towards improvement.

Here are some tips:

• Have your child read every day. Ideally, they should set aside at least 20 minutes per day for reading. This can help them build their reading endurance and make reading a more social activity, which can help reduce any feelings of shame or discomfort they may feel due to their reading difficulties.
• Encourage your child to read whatever interests them. This can help them feel more comfortable with the process and make reading a more social activity. It can also help them make reading a lifelong habit.
• Have your child read out loud. This can help them express what they’re reading and build confidence as a reader. It can also help them retain the information they read more easily.
• Use graphic organizers to help your child organize and sequence the story’s main ideas. This can help them critically assess the information and relate it to other topics.
• Have your child ask questions while they’re reading. This will help them critically assess the information and make inferences based on it.
• Have your child refer to a dictionary. This can help them better understand the full meaning of words they come across while reading.

Conclusion

Reading is an essential skill that helps students succeed in school and life after graduation. Unfortunately, developing stronger reading skills is something that takes time and practice. There’s no denying that reading is a challenging skill. However, it’s also one that can be mastered with patience and practice. If your child struggles with reading comprehension or fluency, follow these tips and work with them to help improve their reading skills. Lastly, do not forget to check out this amazing article; A Love to ‘Read by Three’ Is the Answer to Success.

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