Reading Fluently

Fluent reading

Once a child can easily read a word based on its sounds (phonemes), then that word is eventually stored away in his or her brain. Then, in the future, when the child comes upon this word, decoding is no longer needed.  When enough words are tucked away in the child's brain, then the child is able to read fluently, reading becomes automatic.

According to the National Reading Panel, reading fluidity comes from reading out loud in a consistent manner with feedback.  That means sitting down with your child on a regular basis, having the child read to you.  When the child gets stuck on a word, give him or her a chance to decode it, offer help when needed (avoid frustration as much as possible).  Reading the same material over and over is actually the best for the child, however, some children will balk at this and insist that you work with new material.  In any case, the idea is to read with your child using material that is equal to the reading level that they can read at.  Take turns reading paragraphs, one chapter a day (possibly before school or before bedtime).

You can't fluently read what you can't pronounce.  Have you ever read a medical book with medical terminology?  If you're a layperson, then there's a good chance that you won't recognize those words (they're not in your vocabulary) and thus you have trouble getting though such material.  This is what it's like for a dyslexic child with the words they can't pronounce.  They would rather just skip that word and move on, which can change or lose the meaning of a sentence.  To overcome this, make a list of words that your child has trouble pronouncing and go over them daily, until they are mastered.  It's a good idea to keep a pad and pen with you when you are reading together, this way you can jot down the words the child has trouble with. 

What is an appropriate reading level?

An appropriate reading level is when the child can read 19 out of 20 words.  This means that the child should read approximately 3 or 4 sentences missing only 1 or 2 words.

What to read:

The library is so full of books, it's difficult to know what to choose.  Here is a site where you can get some ideas before heading to the library:  Leveled Book Lists

Remember your dyslexic child is probably reading below grade level (one, two or even more years), so choose wisely.

If your child wants to read a book that is above their reading level, go for it, but jump in quick when a word comes along that he or she has trouble with.  If reading is too labored, then you take the larger paragraphs while the child follows along (let them read the smaller, easier passages).  Remember, you want to show that reading is fun and interesting.  Even if you end up reading the entire book to him or her, it still is teaching them something.

10 Tips for Reading Improvement

1.    When reading together, use your finger as a guide; when your child mispronounces a word, tap your finger on the word so he knows to back and try again.  If the child can not get the word, cover it up with your finger, only revealing the parts (one part at a time), get your child to sound out the syllables.

2.    When you no longer need to guide your child (using your finger), get two books (identical) so that you won't need to share when reading together.

3.    When reading to your child, make it interesting and set a good example; use inflections in your voice, laugh when you think something is funny, get excited when you think you can predict what will happen next.  Ask your child what they think will happen next.

4.    After reading a book rent the movie (if there is one) and watch it together.  Ask the child if they imagined the story like it was in the movie, ask what was different and which one they liked better.

5.    Preview the chapter beforehand, writing down any word that you think will be unfamiliar to your child (such as "peer", "reluctant", "vast", etc.) and talk about these words before reading (better yet, look them up in a dictionary).  Point out these words when you come to them in the book.

6.    Do not put a TV in your child's room; the goal is to get them to read more, a TV will only lessen the chance of reading before bedtime. 

7.    Bring your child to the library or book store; make them participate in selecting a book to read.  Also, pick up a magazine that they would find interesting.  Use your computer; there are many great web sites that are great reading and writing motivators. 

8.    Increase your child's vocabulary; watch documentaries, visit museums, engage in quality conversations.  Too often we do this with such enthusiasm when they are babies, only to drop off as they grow.

9.    Be a role model; read books yourself.  If you enjoy fiction, tell your child about the book you're reading.  Let them know what's going on in your story.

10.  Don't make your child do a book report (unless they want to), this would just make them see reading as more "work".  Do give reading incentives; if you read 10 books in one month you'll earn a trip to ...

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