Your child has many abilities and strengths. Most parents think their child is exceptional in some way, and they are right! Each child is born with a unique set of abilities and strengths. Parents should take the time to discover these and help their children develop them.
One way to do this is by spending time together doing things that interest the child. This could be anything from playing a sport or game to reading or creating something together. Another way to help children grow into who they are meant to be is by giving them opportunities to try new things. Let them explore their interests and see what they are good at.
Of course, parents also need to provide guidance and support as children learn and grow. It’s important to praise your child for their accomplishments, big or small, as this will help boost their confidence. Maybe he can draw beautifully or has a fantastic vocabulary. Maybe she has excellent listening skills or is an incredible athlete and team player. Be sure to notice those talents and tell them you see them excelling at something.
When reading is hard, parents often feel they failed.
I often feel like their kids’ deficits consume my students’ parents in reading, and they forget what their children can do well. (Teachers are guilty of this, too.) If your child is artistic, use that talent at home as a way for your child to show understanding of a story you read aloud; draw a picture of the problem in the story or draw the main character. Just because your child has a word decoding weakness, messy handwriting, or poor spelling doesn’t mean you can’t push them to achieve their best through various venues. Allowing and encouraging your children to use their strengths will boost their confidence. A child who is bright academically but lacks confidence in school may turn to activities and hobbies that are not as academic. This can lead to a disconnect between the child’s intellectual strengths and actual performance in school.
Help your child with reading through simple interventions.
Reading is an essential skill that children need to learn to be successful in school. However, for some children, reading can be a challenging task. If your child has difficulty reading, there are things you can do to help your child improve their reading skills.
First, make sure your child is getting enough sleep. A good night’s sleep helps improve focus and concentration, both critical for reading.
Second, provide your child with plenty of opportunities to read aloud. Reading aloud helps children learn how words sound and better understand what they are reading.
Third, help your child practice decoding words (an essential reading skill) by teaching him or her phonics rules. Phonics teaches children the relationships between letters and the sounds they make.
Fourth, give your child lots of practice reading books at different difficulty levels. Make sure to choose books that are not too easy or difficult. For example, I found that non-fiction magazines for children are often a good choice because they are for different age levels.
Helping children with reading can be a very rewarding experience for both the child and the adult. There are many ways to help children with reading, and no one way is necessarily better. It is essential to find what works best for the child and the adult and keep practicing regularly. Anyone can help a child become a successful reader with little effort.
Learning Difference Screening.
When regular reading at home and additional support are not resulting in your child making great gains, it would be a great idea to do a standardized screening assessment to determine your child’s reading strengths and challenges. Understanding which type of strategies would be rather than continuing to set up your child for reading-failure (unintended, yet frustrating) will be highly beneficial in the short term. One such neuropsychological Learning Difference Screening is done at La Ronge Counselling. Learn more about this unique and essential opportunity to help your child read strength-based.
