10 Things Struggling Readers & Their Parents Will Feel Better Knowing
As a parent you already know life can get overwhelming. Does it help to know you are not alone? So many families understand your situation because it is also their situation.
Immersing yourself in your child’s academic life can be exhausting.
I pray these “10 Things” bring some insight, food for thought, or peace of mind to you on this emotional reading journey.
Learning to Read with a Life Perspective
#1 Learning to read is important, but it is not the most important thing in the world or your life.
There are other facets of our lives that make us the kind of person we will be. What are your natural talents? Your gifts? What kind of character traits do you have?
#2 Learning to talk is natural, but learning to read is one of the most difficult things a person will ever learn to do.
Congratulate yourself for how far you have come in your reading journey. There are an infinite number of steps and processes that your brain handles to enable a person to read.
#3 Some people are just wired differently.
Wired differently means just that, wired differently. Please note, I didn’t say wired incorrectly. Your brain processes information You learn in a different way
#4 You are a beautifully made, wonderful person.
You are an amazing person with many great qualities that deserve to be noticed and applauded.
Consider the things you do well – your strengths.
Are you good at math? Creative in the arts? A team player? A kind soul? an organized person? A storyteller? A logical thinker? An encouraging person?
Do you have a sense of humor? A sense of drama? Do you have a knack for writing? Can you grow a thriving garden? The ability to fix things? Are you a computer geek? Or possibly an empathetic listener?
From the time I was young, I always thought something was missing about me and I wasn’t “enough.”
Then I grew up and learned that’s the way most people feel about themselves. Some people “do it scared,” and some people hesitate to even try. How about you?
#5 You may not have been properly taught how to read.
There are different methods to teach reading. One method is called whole language. Reader are taught to recognize words as a whole (not in parts) and notice the shape of the entire word.
Phonics teaches the sounds that the letters of the alphabet represent so readers sound out words.
Of course, you can use a combination of both approaches.
Which way did you learn? Were you memorizing words or using the letter sounds to decode the words? Did that work for you or not?
#6 Did you get enough practice reading?
In a classroom, some children learn regardless of how they are taught, but most need the guidance of a teacher and practice with books that get gradually more difficult.
Other students need a lot more practice to master each step along the way. That means they need more time.
The Matthew Principle applies to readers. Good readers get better and poor readers get poorer. Why? Good readers like reading and read more so they improve.
If you don’t read well you usually don’t enjoy reading and avoid it. With less practice, there is little or no improvement.
#7 As Dr. Seuss said, “Those who matter don’t mind, and those who mind don’t matter.”
Anyone who makes hurtful, cutting remarks is one of those people who really don’t matter.
Unkind words are painful to hear, but it would be a major mistake to dwell on those words and repeat them to yourself.
The people who matter are the people who truly care for you.
Dr. Seuss is saying be careful who you listen to.
#8 “If you think you can, you’re right, and if you think you can’t, you’re right.”
This Albert Einstein quote speaks of the future, your future.
A determined attitude mightly influences what we accomplish.
How do you talk to yourself when the going gets tough? Are challenges a reason to give up or do you try again with a new approach?
#9 A positive approach from teachers and parents does wonders for a struggling learner.
“You knew the word yesterday, for crying out loud, why don’t you know it today?”
Those words make me cringe, but how many people hear things like that on a regular basis.
You can’t learn that way. You actually can not learn.
When your brain is dealing with intense emotions you are incapable of learning information. Until the emotions level out, no knowledge goes in.
When a learner appears to backtrack, shaming them is unkind and unproductive. Use honey not vinegar.
#10 Children who struggle with learning to read.
My blog supports struggling readers and their parents.
Here I provide information about learning to read as well as additional support measures that can be taken.
I cover information on learning disabilities as well which are often overlooked and difficult to get help for when it’s needed.
Overall I provide information, understanding & solutions about the academic and emotional challenges struggling readers experience.
My goal is to teach and support children who struggle to read.
Reading comes easily to some children, but when it doesn’t, school can be an awful place. Each day a child watches classmates read, makes the non-reader feel less successful, more pressured and certainly unhappy.
Here I work to empower parents with the skills they need to teach their children, and in turn empower both the parent and the child.
There is Hope for Struggling Readers
If you are a parent of a struggling reader there are ways to help encourage and support them along this journey.
First, grab my FREE ebook 83+ Reasons Children Have Trouble Reading. You will learn just how many factors the problems that you may be facing.
Remember this is temporary and with a little work each day forward progress will help you get back on track to having a successful confident reader in your home.
