Here are 5 reading strategies for struggling readers. Implement these reading strategies for struggling readers the next time you sit down to read with your child and see what a difference it makes!
1) Make sure your child is not hungry or tired before trying to do reading with them. Trying to get a hungry or tired child to learn is just setting yourself up for failure and frustration.
Think about how well you function when you are hungry and or tired - probably not so well. However, your child may not tell you that they are hungry or tired, and it may come across as if they just don't want to learn to read. Well they don't at that moment! But it's not because they don't enjoy reading or learning. They just have some primary needs that need to be met before they can focus on learning.
2) Make sure you are not hungry or too tired. Again, this just sets you up for failure and frustration. How easy is it to be patient and focused when you are miserable? And your little one will definitely pick up on your agitation and become demotivated as he/she senses your displeasure. So first, please make sure you are in the right frame of mind to be teaching your precious student. Take a nap (or at least rest for 10 minutes) or make a sandwich. You will both be happier for it.
3) Minimize distractions. Most children are very easily distracted! This is normal, but you can try to keep them focused on what you are trying to teach by minimizing distractions as much as possible. Turn off the TV and radio, and put away any toys or anything else that may be vying for their attention. You may have to go into the most boring room of your house.
4) Get comfortable. Don't make your child sit at a desk (or table) to read or learn if they are a wiggle worm. Let him/her lay on his/her tummy to read on the floor or couch if that is how they are comfortable and if it is working.
5) If your child is just DONE before you are finished with whatever you are trying to teach, take a break and come back to it later. There is no sense in wasting your precious energy trying to force a child to learn when their capacity for learning at that moment is zero
Armed with these reading strategies for struggling readers, you will be on your way to building the necessary foundation to help your child develop a love for reading that will benefit him his entire life.