Reading is a fundamental skill that many children in the US are struggling with. And while 8th graders show some of the highest test scores, it’s vital to address literacy struggles early.
It’s often not obvious when a child is struggling with reading, especially in the early years. And it’s certainly not as simple as an “I can’t read" moment. Instead, you’ll find your child avoiding reading, showing frustration or quiet rumination. It's a pattern that is often easy to miss. Teachers or external educators, like Brighterly reading tutors, can often identify these issues easily.
Here, we’ll cover how to identify reading struggles and common reading gaps and how to help a child struggling with reading.
Reading Struggles Often Look Like Something Else First
When a child is struggling to read, it isn’t always obvious. In fact, it might look like they simply don’t enjoy reading. It could also look like they’re not engaging with learning more widely.
Avoidance, meltdowns, and "I'm just tired" excuses
Avoiding reading is one of the most common signs your child is struggling with it. This can easily be mistaken for a dislike of reading. They could also tell you they’re too tired after a full day of reading and learning at school. If you try to insist on your child reading, you may find that they have a meltdown. It's not that they don't want to; they find it too challenging.
Why solid grades don't always rule out a reading gap
Parents must look beyond grades to identify difficulties with reading. Children’s grades can often mask their true understanding because they can use factors like context clues or guesswork to fumble through answers. But they don’t understand the fundamentals of what they’re engaging with.
What to Do Once You Notice the Signs
Now that you’ve noticed your child is reluctant to read, struggles with comprehension, or lashes out at the practice, it’s time to take action.
Why a real diagnostic beats guesswork
Noticing the signs of a child behind in reading is just the first step. To identify exactly what your child is struggling with and how you can support them, it's best to use a diagnostic test. These tests highlight your child's specific knowledge gaps and help you create a plan to address them.
How outside tutoring complements what's happening in the classroom
Children’s difficulties with reading can also go unseen in the classroom as they’re competing for attention with fellow students. That’s where private tutoring can come in. Tutors can give children personalized and dedicated attention that they don’t always receive in school. Additionally, they can address their specific needs and complement their school learning.
The Most Common Types of Reading Gaps
There are different types of gaps that can appear in your child’s reading comprehension, including:
• Phonics or decoding difficulties
• Reading fluency struggles
• Lack of reading comprehension
Decoding vs. comprehension gaps
Decoding and comprehension gaps are two of the most common, but they represent very different areas. Decoding involves children translating written text into speech using sounds, and often children may struggle to reading aloud. Children who struggle with comprehension, meanwhile, may not be able to connect ideas within pieces of text. They may be able to read text aloud, but be unable to explain it. Studies have shown that using gestures while communicating with children can support learning, particularly with oration.
When a gap might point to something like dyslexia
Sometimes, gaps in reading and literacy education can point to learning difficulties like dyslexia. You might want to explore a diagnosis if your child:
• Struggles to learn and name letters
• Can’t comprehend rhyming words
• Gets common words or letters mixed up
• Often flips letters in words
Talking to Your Child Without Making Reading Feel Like a Punishment
A child struggling with reading needs support. But how can you do it in a constructive way?
Here are some tips on supporting your child’s reading learning without extra practice feeling like punishment:
Words to avoid
When offering reading support to your child in their reading education, there are some words you should avoid using to ensure they know you’re supporting them and not scolding them:
• Wrong: don’t tell your child they’ve done something wrong
• Failed: talking about failure can make your child feel like a failure
• Naughty: even if your child is acting out, it’s important to focus on their learning needs, not their behavior
Reframing reading as a skill to build, not a flaw to fix
If your child is reluctant to read because they find it challenging, you need to fix that mindset. You also need to approach it in an encouraging way so they don’t feel like a failure. Focus on the benefits of reading, like the ability to engage with exciting media like magazines or comic books, or humorous stories.
You can also highlight how it will make their overall education easier. By setting measurable goals, you can also help your child to see their own progress and understand how they’ve built up the skill.
Building a Low-Pressure Reading Routine at Home
Reading more at home is key to improving your child’s skills. Now, let’s explore how you can do that in a way that feels comfortable for your child.
Short, consistent sessions over long infrequent ones
Children who are resistant to reading will only become more resistant if they’re forced to partake in long, laborious reading sessions. Instead, create short bursts where they read one chapter of a book at a time, or small pieces of text. That way, it won’t feel overwhelming for them.
Letting kids choose their own material
One effective way to encourage enthusiasm towards reading, which in turn strengthens skills, is to allow children to choose their own reading material. You can allow them to pick books, comics, or magazines that align with their interests, like superheroes, animals, or cars. If they’re interested in the topic, it lowers the barriers to them engaging with written text.