Reading is one of the toughest subjects for some children to learn, and it can become a hurdle if they are continuing to hit wall after wall with their progress. The frustration of not being able to understand the words on the page may be the biggest hurdle to overcome for some children, while actually grasping the meaning of the words they see can be the most challenging for others.
How to Help
As a parent, it can be difficult trying to navigate helping your child. You can not necessarily do everything for them, but you also want to offer guidance and help so they can achieve their goals. If your child is struggling with their reading exercises, it can seem very tricky on the best way to help them get out of their funk and start processing what they are seeing.
Remember that everyone learns differently, and certainly at their own pace. Most children are not going to pick up on reading in a few lessons, but it will be over a long span of time, as they begin to build their repertoire of words and sentences. Be sure to take things slow with them and assist them if it is just words here and there that they are not familiar with or are struggling through. You can phonetically say the word to help them hear it out loud, and build a better headspace around it.
Guidance
There is also not a tried and true, one size fits all method when it comes to learning to read. See what makes it easier for your kid to understand each word, whether it is reading out loud, or flashcards, or going over the alphabet before picking up a book so the letters are more fresh in their mind. Your child will automatically respond to one learning style over another, and begin to pick up on the reading more easily. You can lean in on that method to make the process easier.
Peer Pressure
Sometimes children get very stressed or nervous when it comes to reading out loud in class as well. They may read fine, whether out loud at home or reading by themselves, but when they are in the classroom it may become more difficult. Help them feel more confident by having them read out loud to the family pet, or even a mirror. Make sure they understand that every child is learning and it is not embarrassing if they do not know a word or get tripped up by a sentence.
Katie Kyzivat