Guest Author - Heidi Shelton Jenck

Do you have a difficult time convincing your child to read at home?

Join the club! Parents worry more about reading than any other academic subject. Research shows that children who read the most not only do better in school but stay in school longer.

Convincing a reading disabled child to practice reading at home can be a huge challenge.

Have you experienced this scenario?
Your child’s teacher reminds you how vitally important it is to read at home. They send home books, and even provide an incentive or reward. You, of course, agree reading at home sounds great. But, reality is a different story altogether.

Some parents describe the reading-at-home experience as truly painful. Others call it a daily clash of wills. Reading at home for a struggling reader is a good idea in theory, but not easy.

Here are some tips parents of reluctant readers have found helpful.

First, a reality check

Your kids are watching…are you reading? Your child might be more willing to read if they see you reading at the same time. One way to motivate a child who doesn’t like to read is to be a reader yourself.

Maybe you already are an avid reader who can’t relate at all to your child’s avoidance of anything that requires reading text unless it’s part of an electronic game.

Continue demonstrating your love of reading, and try some different approaches like these ideas below.

Make It Fun

Try these ideas together:

•Listen to books on tape in the car to build listening comprehension and vocabulary skills.
•Encourage your child to send email updates on a regular basis to a relative who will agree to write back.
•Make crafts or cook together using directions your child reads aloud.
•Ask your child to read board game directions before you play games. Choose games that require reading words or phrases, or building words.
•Give your child the responsibility of writing and then reading a grocery list while you shop.
•Ask questions about a story as you take turns reading aloud. Make a pretend microphone to use for the interview questions. Take turns.
•After reading a story, act out favorite parts.
•Ask a librarian or bookseller to introduce you to books for reluctant readers such as “Hi/Low” readers for tweens and teens, kid-friendly graphic novels, and non-fiction books on topics your child is passionate about.
•Create a simple PowerPoint presentation or movie on Windows Movie Maker together after researching an interesting topic on the web.
•Create a free blog or website together to tell about a shared trip or passion.

Try these tips if your child needs help reading independently:

•Run your finger under the words, or point to text as you start each page.
•When you read aloud to a younger child, choose a word from the story that is repeated often and let your child read it using a character voice.
•When your child seems stuck on a word: (1) ask them what word would make sense (2) suggest they look at the picture and see if that helps (3) tell them to keep going and read to the end of the sentence then go back and reread (4) cover up all but the first letter then move your finger to the right as your child reads each sound. Then, read the word quickly together.
•Children who sound robotic as they read should practice sounding like they are talking. Choose phrases to reread together, making the passage sound natural rather than stilted. If your child has great difficulty with this, try moving your finger quickly under the phrase while you read it together.
•Too many reading errors may mean that the reading level is too hard. Go down a level and see if that makes a difference.

Home-School Connection

You can have a profound effect on your child’s reading habits by encouraging daily literacy activities. Your child is surrounded by opportunities to read in and out of books.

Ask your child’s teacher if they have strategies that work in the classroom you can reinforce at home. Keep in mind special education teachers and literacy specialists usually love to share learning ideas with parents. Take advantage of their accessibility and expertise.

Take time to appreciate even the smallest improvements in your child’s attitude towards reading.

To learn more read "Parenting a Struggling Reader", by Susan Hall.