The Struggle To Read

It is my prayer that this will be taken in the earnest and sincere manner that it is intended. Over the years, I’ve noticed a troublesome trend among homeschooling parents when it comes to accepting and understanding the learning differences we observe or suspect in our children. It begins with an email post by a frightened and desperate parent seeking guidance for their struggling reader and ends with one or more parents posting an encouraging and comforting story of how their “late bloomer” suddenly started reading at the age of 10 or 11. The initial parent, who was secretly hoping for this kind of assurance, is heaving a sigh of relief that there is not something “wrong” with her child and that her teaching is not to blame. She eagerly decides that maybe it’s not really a problem after all. Time goes on.

These types of exchanges occur often and I always wonder to myself. . . What if the child doesn’t suddenly begin to read someday? What if the child has a real issue that could be effectively remediated with early intervention, saving him years of struggle and injury to his self-esteem? What if this well-intended advice causes a parent to delay helping this child? What if he continues to struggle with reading for several more years or even worse, the rest of his life? What if?

These encouraging and well-meaning exchanges, though heartening and uplifting, leave too many necessary questions unexplored at a vital period of development when intercession can be most valuable and effectual. In many cases there is a distinct difference between what parents want to hear and what parents need to know when confronted with a child who struggles with the essential skill of reading. I want to address some of those things here.

Certainly there are children who learn and retain information more efficiently as they grow and mature. However, the cost of the “wait and see” approach carries a risky and substantial price tag if it doesn’t pan out. In fact, research has repeatedly confirmed the importance of early intervention when it comes to future reading success. When you consider the substantial illiteracy rate in our country, one cannot help but deduce that the majority of struggling readers do not overcome their battle without concerted, diligent effort and specialized instruction. Parents who refuse to acknowledge or consider that their child may have a learning difference that requires prompt attention may be unwittingly doing a disservice to their child.

One reason I believe parents tend to ignore or set aside reading problems is for fear of what it might mean. Certain “labels” are frequently used to describe children who learn differently or require a alternate mode of instruction. Some carry negative connotations, some allow us to avoid terms that seem more obscure or frightening to us: dyslexia, auditory processing disorder, phonological disorder, reading delayed, learning disability, ADHD, right-brained learner, visual-spatial learner, hands-on learner, late bloomer, etc. Misconceptions abound with each, but parents are wise to do their homework and not let these misconception lead to guilt or denial that keeps then from taking the steps necessary to help their child learn. Remember, a label is only important to the extent that it helps you determine the unique needs of the child and provides you with clear direction for meeting those needs. It does not define who the child is!

Parents should also be conscious of the huge emotional cost of not being able to read. Children who struggle are keenly aware their difficulty and undoubtedly notice that other children their age are doing something that does not come easily for them. It impacts their life and thoughts in ways that they may be unable to articulate, but rest assured they know. It is not something to be ashamed of and it is not something that should be whispered about behind their back - leaving the child to wonder if he’s fundamentally flawed. Think about it like this, if his vision was impaired you’d get him glasses - if he had a cavity, you get him a filling - if he skinned his knee, you’d get him a bandage. A need is simply a need. Our efforts to protect or shield them can sometimes unwittingly leave them filled with insecurities, self-doubt and a decreased interest in all things academic. Talk to your child. Your honesty, compassion and belief in him will lighten the load for both of you and smooth the path ahead.

All children can learn to read, but all children do not learn the same way. God created each of us different from head to toe and that includes our minds, our processing speeds, and the way we learn. Parents need to know that reading difficulties are not indicative of low intelligence! In fact, the majority of child with learning differences have average to above average intelligence and are often gifted in many other ways. The early action of a parent can mean the difference between slow, steady progress and lifelong impaired reading. Homeschooling gives you the advantage and freedom of being able to tailor instruction to the specific needs of your child in a one-on-one setting, providing maximum results and minimal frustration all the way around. Take advantage of this unique opportunity.

Current research denotes that there are five components to effective reading instruction: phonological awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension.

Phonological awareness is a broad term that includes phonemic awareness. In addition to phonemes, phonological awareness activities can involve work with rhymes, words, syllables, and onsets and rimes.

Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate the individual sounds--phonemes--in spoken words

Phonics is the sound-letter connection

Vocabulary is the stored database of words that the child understand and use properly

Fluency is reading with speed, accuracy and proper intonation

Comprehension is the ability to understand and make sense of what is read.

Each components builds upon and adds to the previous, however, phonemic awareness, which falls under the umbrella of phonological awareness, is considered the most significant factor in determining future reading success. This skill, which comes naturally to most, sometimes alludes others in the absence of direct, explicit instruction.. Fortunately, this foundational skill can be taught effectively in a little as 20 minute a day with great results. Phonemic awareness is ground level work and sometimes it is necessary to go back to the beginning before you can forge ahead. I like to compare the process of teaching reading to the act of building a house – you must have a solid foundation to build on, lest you labor in vain. Don’t be afraid to step back.

As you work with your child to improve his own reading, remember to make reading aloud part of each instructional day. Again, research tells us that a child who reads 20 minutes a day reads an average of 1.8 million words per year. A child who begins reading at age 7 versus a child who begins reading at age 10 will have an enormous advantage when it comes to vocabulary, word recognition, fluency and even writing and spelling. The more a child reads a word, the more in becomes of part of them. Reading improves reading. For children not yet reading on their own, reading aloud and audio books, while they follow along in the printed text, provides a rich and rewarding avenue for continuing language development. Each exposure to written and auditory language embeds and reinforces the patterns of language into the memory of the child. This increased knowledge transfers to many areas of learning. Success breeds success.

As a final word of encouragement - remember to lavishly love, accept, and nurture your child as a unique, wonderful creation of God. Foster a love of reading as you go forward hand in hand, confident that there is joy in the journey and a light at the end of the tunnel.

For more information on resources or teaching reading, please visit

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeartofReading


Additional support and resources for homeschooling families teaching struggling readers ~

Multisensory Teaching of Basic Language Skills - by Judith R. Birsh

Unlocking Literacy: Effective Decoding & Spelling Instruction and Words - by Marcia K Henry

Phonemic Awareness in Young Children - by Marilyn Jager Adams

A Mind at a Time and The Myth of Laziness - by Mel Levine

Reading Reflex and How to Increase Your Child’s Verbal Intelligence - by Carmen McGuinness

The ABC’s and All Their Tricks - by Margaret Bishop

Recipe for Reading - by Frances Bloom and Nina Traub

McCall-Crabbs Standard Test Lessons in Reading (hardback – Five Volumes in One)

Sounds and Letters for Readers and Spellers - by Jane Fell Greene
http://www.sopriswest.com/

The Victory Drill Book - by August Enderlin

Phonemic Awareness Activities for Early Reading Success (Grades K-2) - by Wiley Blevins

Teaching Phonics and Word Study and Phonics from A to Z - by Wiley Blevins

How To Teach Spelling - by Laura Rudgrinsky and Elizabeth Haskell

Six-Way Paragraphs (3 levels – introductory, middle and advanced) - by Walter Pauk

Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction - by Isabel Beck

All About Spelling http://www.all-about-spelling.com/ Give your child a solid start to spelling!

http://www.epsbooks.com/ – Excellent resources for language instruction – Megawords, How to Teach Spelling, Writing Skills series, The Language ToolKit, Explode the Code (I strongly recommend using the parent guides in order to get the most out of the “. . .Code” series books!)

http://www.greatleaps.com/ – a unique and effective resource for improving fluency.

http://www.orton-gillingham.com/ Sensational Reading Strategies for Teaching Beginning Readers (K-2 and remedial)

http://www.ganderpublishing.com/ – Lindamood-Bell's LIPS and Visualizing and Verbalizing Comprehension Program

Prayer Plus Planning Equals Progress!

YES - You can do this!