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Your normally happy-go-lucky child who was curious about everything, eager to learn new things and enjoyed you reading to him suddenly has become moody, wants nothing to do with books and doesn’t want to go to school. As a concerned parent you ask your child what is wrong. As a typical response the child tells you “nothing”. Instinctively you know this avoidance response is not the case. Something has changed and not for the better. All too often however this is a familiar scenario that many parents face. So just what should you do when confronted with a similar situation? Here are 5 Tips for Parents of Struggling Readers that will help you and your child get back on the right track to become a successful reader.

5 Tips for Parents of Struggling Readers

Your child’s welfare is your top priority as a parent. You want to help your child succeed in all aspects. Here is a list of suggestions for you to follow if you think that your child may be struggling with reading.

1.    Ask for a Parent-Teacher Conference – Make a call to your child’s school and schedule a conference to be held with the teacher.

• Ask the teacher if she has noticed any changes in your child’s behavior when it comes to reading.

• Listen to what the teacher has to say about patterns that your child is showing and what skills they may be lacking.

• Find out if the child has missed solid reading foundations such as phonemic awareness or phonics.

2.    Request Assessments – Determine if there are any limitations that may be hindering your child’s development.

• Have your child’s eyesight and hearing tested yearly.

• Decide after talking with the teacher if further educational or psychological testing needs to be completed to determine if a learning disability exists.

• Discuss the options for your child if it is determined that a disability is apparent.

3.    Build Up Your Child’ Self Esteem – Children who are struggling readers often have low self esteem. Many have been teased about being lazy or stupid.

• Encourage your child by letting them know that having reading problems has nothing to do with their intelligence.

• Each child has their own learning styles and gathers information in their own way.

• Tell your child that just because they may learn differently than others this is not a bad thing; they are unique and have to be taught the way their brain learns.

4.    Know Your Child’s Interest – As a parent you know what your child is interested in.

• Surround your child with books, magazines, games and puzzles that include these interests.

• Go to the local library and let them get their own library card to pick out books on subjects they like.

• Search the web to discover other information on the topics at hand.

• Head to a museum that tells the history of what they are interested in.

• Engage them in hands on experiences of their interests.

5.    Practice Makes Perfect – Have your child practice reading 30 minutes a day, every day.

• Allow them to pick what it is that they will be reading based on their interests.

• Create a comfortable area in your home set aside for reading without distractions.

• Be available to answer any questions that your child may have when they are reading.

• Be a role model as a parent by taking this same time to read something of your own interest; showing your child that reading is important to you too.

• Parental involvement is a key factor to your child’s reading success.

You know as a parent that you have your child’s best interests in mind. You want to give them all the encouragement and advantages necessary for them to succeed in life. Following these 5 Tips for Parents of Struggling Readers gives you suggestions on how to ensure that your child will get back on track and rediscover their love of learning.