How to Help Your Child Be a Better Reader

Worried about how you can help your child read better? You’re not alone! Let’s explore positive, gentle ways to support their reading journey, without discouraging their efforts. Understanding how to help your child develop a growth mindset about reading can make all the difference. Here’s how you can correct and encourage learning with love and patience.

Correct Reading Mistakes with Love and Patience

To correct or not to correct. That is the question.

(A tiny little Shakespeare joke… my bad.)

Lots of parents worry about this. So let’s talk a minute about some constructive and positive ways to help your child read better.

How Does Your Child Feel About Correction?

First consider how you feel when someone corrects you.

Think about how you feel when people tell you you’re wrong. Especially when you’re taking a risk and aren’t quite sure of yourself. Especially if their correction involves an element of shame.

It’s hard to hear you’re wrong. It sometimes hurts to hear BUT would you want to continue doing it wrong? Your kids don’t either!

There are positive gentle ways to correct mistakes that don’t involve shaming them for not already knowing how to read! Responses that will encourage, not discourage, their efforts.

Growth Mindset Versus Fixed Mindset

Way before you start to read with your child, you need to start having conversations with them about growth versus fixed mind set. Okay, you’re not going to use those terms, but talk about how when anyone is learning any new skill, like reading or computers or whatever, they are going to make mistakes.

The important thing is to try again. That’s a growth mindset. If a child starts thinking they should already know how to do this then it will be easy for them to get stuck in a fixed I-Can’t-Do-This mindset. Agree on a way to let them know they need to try again.

Another way you can encourage a growth mindset is to praise your child’s efforts. Say, “You worked really hard on that!” Not just, “You are so smart!” Praising hard work lets your child know that it’s okay to fail and try again.

No one comes into this world knowing how to do everything. Your child does not have to be “perfect” (smart) to earn your praise.

Positive Responses You Can Use When Correcting Reading Errors

When your child does make a reading mistake, here are a few things you can say to soften the correction:

• Oops, that one tricked you.
• That was a little confusing. Do you want to try it again?
• What clues can you find about that word that might help you?
• Does the picture help you think about it?
• What sound does the word start with?
• Can you see smaller words or a word family that could help?
• Are there other clues on the page (like pictures) that might help you predict what that word is?

When they do get things right, be sure to heap on a little praise! Say something like “Good job!” or “Thank you for working on that!”

Additional Considerations

There are a few more things you might need to consider with a young beginning reader. If any of these are an issue for your kiddo, you may feel as though you’re butting your head against a brick wall trying to get them to read.

Your child may feel that way too. You don’t want them to associate frustration, anxiety and dread with reading. Don’t hesitate to get help from a professional reading teacher if your child shows symptoms of any of these issues when approaching reading. Help is available!

• Age – Before 6, kids have difficulty with some sounds like /l/, /s/ and /r/. Consonant blends like /th/ and /sh/. Your child will probably grow out of this one, but if a problem persists a speech therapist may be able to help.
• Native language – If English isn’t the child’s “milk language” then they may have difficulty distinquishing between sounds in English and their other language. Lots of practice, actively listening for the troublesome sounds in words and possibly working with a speech therapist will help.
• Vision – A child with vision problems isn’t going to be a successful reader without glasses! Opthalmologists are your friends for this one.

Physical Issues That Can Affect Reading

Problems like dyslexia, ADHD, diabetes and even common illnesses can affect a child’s ability to decode the written word and will require the assistance of a doctor, naturopath or therapist.

Seek professional help if you suspect one of these problems may be in-play. Your child’s school or pediatrician can get you started on the path to finding the right help!

Here are a few more reading resources that may help you and your child:

• Important Early Literacy Terms That Every Parent Needs to Know
• Tips for Helping Early Readers
• Reading Assessments for Reading Success

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