When Reading Is a Struggle

 

Being able to read and comprehend are two very important foundational skills for a successful school experience. Sadly, many of our children are graduating without being able to comprehend what they read. Many cannot read past a third-grade level.

I’ve always been a big reader. I taught myself how to read when I was four years old. My mother would read Dick and Jane to me daily. I memorized the stories and slowly figured out the words by sight memory. When I started first grade, I had trouble switching to a phonics system for reading.

 

I read to my children from birth on, because I believe that children who are read to develop into better readers. It also increases verbal ability. Even today, I still read to my grandchildren whenever I visit with them. I give books for almost every gift-giving occasion. They have one grandparent who gives clothing. They know they will get books from Grammy. For my youngest grandchild, I sent books to her parents before she was even born.

 

I’m not going to get into the underlying cause of why so many are struggling. I do believe it is connected to too much technology. Digital learning doesn’t stick in the brain as well as learning from physical books. This has been proven. Some countries have removed devices from the classroom because of this.

 

My youngest son had a long list of diagnostic labels. One was dyslexia. I had gone through multiple reading programs, but nothing was working.

One week, my pastor suggested I begin using the Bible to teach reading. My son was 10 years old and not able to read at a first-grade level. My pastor reminded me that God’s word does not return to Him void.

 

We would spend 15 minutes a day reading from John. It was painful when we first began. But he did improve. After a couple of weeks, I added the old Dick and Jane reader that I taught myself to read from.

 

By the end of the school year, he went from ‘not even 1^st grade’ to a 3rd-grade reading level. By the end of the next school year, it was up to his age group. (6^th grade) He started enjoying reading. He would read those thick Old English-style classic literature stories.

 

Today, he has a crowded bookshelf and enjoys reading to his baby daughter.

 

Once, he told me that when he is tired, he still has trouble with ‘letters moving around.’ He doesn’t allow it to discourage him. He still reads.

 

If reading is a struggle for your child, my recommendations would be:

* Ditch the technology.

* Play fun learning games.

* Read, read, read to them every day. Discuss what you read. Ask questions to check for comprehension. Have the child retell the story.

* Have your child write their own stories and illustrate them. Then practice reading them.

* Use God’s word as a textbook.

 

For dyslexia challenges:

• Air-writing
• Cross-body exercises
• Writing with the opposite hand (only for a short bit)

Each of these has helped other students I’ve worked with in the past.

 

For the reluctant reader:

• Find books along their interests.
• Read together (each takes a page).
• Have them write and illustrate their own stories.

 

The love of reading is one of the most valuable gifts a parent can give to their child. Their future success depends upon being able to read and comprehend. There are too many students who are graduating functionally illiterate. It’s up to the parents to do whatever is necessary to make sure this doesn’t happen to their child.

 

For more information about my services, please check out my Skool page, Living Ready Collective.