Dear Parent,
I am glad you found my websight. The fact that you are concerned about your child's reading and are turning over every stone to get your child help is probably the best thing your child has going for him/her. I applaud you for that!
Some other good news for you and your child is summer is right around the corner.... let your child know this is a very good opportunity to do some catching up. Instead of celebrating the fact that there is no school and no committments, and no homework, suggest that while everyone else is "lazing" around you and he can be making a "sneak attack" on reading.
Get lots of books from the library... 10 at a time or more if they allow it and READ READ READ!
Read to your child.
Sometimes listen while your child reads TO YOU.
Share the reading by taking turns reading together. Ask lots of questions as you read the story together...things like
"What do you think will happen next?"
"How was the main character feeling right then?"
"Have you ever felt that way? "
Make the stories relevant to his life, his experience. Make it meaningful and show your interest... nothing will improve his comprehension as quickly as spending time really reading for meaning.
Don't dwell on the phonics sounds of the letters but do talk about them a bit. Do not say "sound it out" all the time . Lots of words don't "sound out" It is probably one of the most frustrating things a struggling reader can hear. Instead looking for clues in the pictures or in the context of the story will help your achild think about what the word might be.
If he is even close call it good. He will keep reading and will probalby go back to the word and fix it by himself once he realizes the word he said doesn't make sense. A struggling reader does not need to be stopped throughout the story to be corrected on every little error. They will only lose interest, become even more frustrated and eventually shut down all together.
Make reading as enjoyable as you can. Start with small doses. Sit or lay down in a comfortable place. Turn off distracting TV and music...start the reading session by just being quiet. Make a little reading nest with a lamp near by, anything that makes it cozy.
Writing is a great way to get kids reading. Have him write you notes, maybe a letter to a friend. Have him write lists, have him type an E mail... Read signs as you drive by. Play the alphabet game in the car (find a sign with the letter A then B then C etc.) Make letters and words fun.
I wish there were a magical, easy way for struggling readers to learn to read. The key is to read and then read some more. For every hour read by a strong reader only six minutes is read by the low reader. That's not much practice. Helping a struggling reader requires parents and teachers to try many different techniques. Not all children learn in the same way nor are they all inspired by the same methods. Offer a buffet of reading opportunities and eventually your young reader will respond to the those which match his learning style and he will be on his way to becoming a strong reader.
Good luck...you know how important reading is. Let your child know too. The difference between kids who can read and those that don't is vast. Everything is affected. Their self esteem , school experience not only with teachers but also with peers. Also future opportunities, job choices and further educational opportunities.
Good luck and God bless.