HELP! MY CHILD IS STRUGGLING WITH READING COMPREHENSION!

Reading is a primary skill that we begin learning very early in life. Reading skills nurture with age and gradually increasing levels of understanding. However, learning and understanding are subjective in children and can often affect one’s reading and comprehension skills.  

Is your child having reading problems? 

What is a Reading Disability?  

Reading disabilities refer to the challenges of reading and cognitively processing one or more languages. Trouble can arise in different aspects of reading such as pronouncing proper alphabet sounds, identifying sight words, fluency, picturization, reading-speed, understanding meanings, etc.  

Comprehension skills are also fuelled by an ability to decode, encode, and automatically break words into syllables. These skills enhance the ease of reading and basic perception. 

A child having reading problems is very common and over 20% of the population experience this. According to WPM (words per minute) standards, generally, a 1st-grader must be able to read around 53-111 WPM, 10-year old reads 120-180 words, a high-school student reads over 200, and adults can read around 220-350 WPM.  

What are the signs of a Reading Comprehension problem? 

Catching the signs that your child has difficulties learning can be difficult. It is especially tough among kids who can read fluently but cannot comprehend. 

Child reading problems have the following common signs: 

• Struggling to read automatically 

• Not understanding the meaning of words, thus an inability to connect series of words or sentences 

• An inability to visualize and imagine along with reading 

• Not understanding the intent of the text 

• Inability to answer questions after reading 

• Poor memory 

• Skipping words while reading 

• Improper phonetic awareness and mispronunciation 

Signs can show up in other areas like limited vocabulary, writing and spelling struggles, improper retention, and overall lesser academic grades. It impacts understanding and interest-factor towards reading. 

Look out for these signs in your child or consult their teachers to find out about such behaviors. Dedicated assessments can help with effective diagnosis.  

Why does my child have trouble with reading comprehension? 

The root cause of reading disabilities is neurological and genetic. It isn’t based on one’s intellect or capability. 

A reading disorder like Dyslexia originates from birth and persists life-long. However, it is possible to train the brain towards improvement with time and the right facilities. 

Moreover, the inability to read with focus and frequent distractions also lead to improper comprehension. Competitive classroom environments can leave a child feeling less confident and emotionally low, resulting in a lack of interest in learning.  

How can I improve my child’s reading comprehension? 

It is necessary to address children’s reading problems, diagnose the intensity and assist them according to their distinct needs.  

Improving children’s reading skills and efficiency comes with increased exposure and training. Some tips to improve your child’s reading comprehension include: 

• Audio books and notes are a great way to help a child struggling with reading.  

• Practicing to read aloud and re-reading  

• Reading to your child is a great way to advance their skills. 

• Reading bedtime stories not only arouse multi-sensory learning but also enhance imagination among children. 

• Explicit phonetic practice 

• Ask questions throughout to keep them focused and guide their comprehension. 

• Make them read topics they like to arouse interest 

• Positively reinforce from time-to-time to encourage good learning behaviors. 

Acceptance that a reading disability is not a problem with intelligence is the first step to support better learning.  

Seek help from professional counselors 

Your child struggling with reading is not slow, lazy, or unintelligent. He/she just requires the right guidance and learning environment. This can be extended by experts in the field like educational and social psychologists. 

Improvement must be catered to fit the needs and intensity of the children’s reading problem. Professional counselors can assess and extend customized techniques of fun and efficient learning.  

 

Many schools often facilitate counselors’ advice to children with difficulty. You can also find help online. MANAS Learning is a one-stop destination for you and your child struggling with reading.  

Find guided professional advice and assistance with fun and creative learning in an incentivizing environment. Understand the needs of your child and watch them nourish with explicit innovative learning, active classes, multi-sensory activities, and personally-tutored techniques aimed to strengthen their skills. 

We understand children’s reading problems and guide them towards holistic systematic development.