If your child is significantly behind and a severely struggling reader, tutoring is the best option for improvement and growth. Getting your child reading at grade level will take significant time and effort from both you and your child. To support you during this time, there are things you can do to help! 

We want your child to be exposed to and read as many words as possible to develop reading proficiency. 

Read Aloud to Your Child

Exposing your child to high quality literature won't teach them to read but it builds vocabulary, expands knowledge, and introduces new information and ideas. Reading aloud fosters an interest in reading, encourages curiosity, and strengthens emotional bonds (National Reading Panel, 2008).

Reading aloud to your child should complement, not replace, classroom or tutoring reading instruction.

Tips while reading aloud to your child:

1. Choose books on topics your child loves and vary genres.

2. For younger children, try nursery rhymes and books with rhythmic text.

3. Discuss the story by asking questions about what is happening in the book, predicting what happens next, main characters, or problems and solutions in the story.

4. Re-read favorite books and exmplain new words or concepts.

5. Use expression while reading to make the story engaging!

Listen to Your Child Read

Listen to your child read for 15-20 minutes daily.

1. Choose stories that match your child’s current reading level, which may differ from their grade level.

2. Have your child read aloud to you, silent reading is less effective for students reading below grade level.

3. Proficient readers encounter millions of words annually and struggling readers read far fewer, limiting their improvement. More reading practice leads to more improvement (Nagy & Anderson, 1987).

4. To build stamina, take turns reading pages together.

Here's a tip: Audio-assisted reading (listening to an audiobook while reading along in the physical book) can improve fluency and overall reading proficiency. (Rasinksi, 2010; Rasinski, Reutzel, Chard, & Linan-Thompson, 2011).

Repeated Readings

Read a section from a previously read story four times on two separate days.

Repeated reading is when the student reads a section of a familiar story multiple times, typically four times over two days. This practice is so effective in helping students read more fluently. They improve speed, accuracy, expression, and comprehension. While appropriate speed for their level is important, the goal is to read at a natural, conversational pace for better comprehension.

For struggling readers, fluency takes time and their reading will become smoother. When students can identify and read words automatically, reading speed naturally increases and reading improves.

Encourage expression and proper pauses at punctuation.

Practice at home using this method developed by Dr. Darrell Morris:

1. Select a 100- or 200-word passage from a previously read story.

(Use a 100 word passage for Kindergarten and First Grade and a 200 word passage for Second Grade and above.) 

2. Set a two-minute timer and have your child read, noting any errors.

3. Count the words read and errors, recording progress over time. 

(100 word chart, 200 word chart)

For more details on repeated reading, visit Dr. Timothy Shanahan's article here. 

Isn't this neat?! When a struggling reader repeatedly practices a passage, they improve word recognition, accuracy, expression, and comprehension. These gains carry over to new stories, even ones they've never seen before!

Provide Feedback

Provide immediate, corrective feedback.

Use the 3P Approach:

PAUSE. When your child makes an error, wait until the end of the sentence to see if they correct it themselves. Praise them with, "Nice fixing!" If they don't correct the word, say, "Something tricked you. Try that sentence again." If errors are frequent, choose an easier text.

PROMPT. For unfamiliar words, guide them to sound it out (For example, use continous blending on the word flat: Ask the child to say the first sound, then the first and second together, and so on. e.g., fff, ffflll, ffflllaaa, ffflllaaattt.) If the word isn't decodable, point to the first letter and ask, "Sound?" then read the word for them and continue.

PRAISE. Celebrate their efforts and successes with phrases like, "You read that so well!" or "Great job noticing and fixing that mistake."

Most importantly, focus on enjoying reading together rather than overcorrecting. Research shows repeated reading with corrective feedback had greater gains in reading skills.

Practice High Frequency Word

Practice high frequency words for a few minutes per day.

High-frequency words are common words like "the," "of," and "it." Isolating the word helps your child focus on the word's features without distractions.

Say the word, have your child repeat it, and connect the meaning, sounds, and letters. For example, teach the word "with." First provide context ("I can play with my friends."). Then identify the sounds (/w/ /i/ /th/) and point out any irregular spellings. Then connect the letters to the sounds (w-i-t-h spells with).

Encourage your child to visualize or spell the word from memory then practice reading it repeatedly using flashcards.

Get this! As children learn to read, their brains naturally look for patterns and try to apply what they know to new words they encounter. They can actually learn how to learn words faster!

Sources:

The Megabook of Fluency by Tomothy V. Rasinski and Melissa Cheesman Smith

National Reading Panel

shanahanonliteracy.com/blog/reading-aloud-to-kids-and-why-lessons-need-purposes

npr.org/2021/10/01/1041859001/reading-aloud-benefits-childrens-literacy

shanahanonliteracy.com/blog/time-to-tell-parents-the-truth-about-helping-their-kids-with-reading 

uurc.utah.edu/General/Fluency.php

shanahanonliteracy.com/blog/time-to-tell-parents-the-truth-about-helping-their-kids-with-reading

The Effectiveness of Corrective Feedback during Repeated Readings on Improving Reading Fluency by Lanae N. Nienhuis B.A. Dordt College, 1999 digitalcollections.dordt.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1028&context=med_theses

uurc.utah.edu/Parents/AtHome-Primary.php

shanahanonliteracy.com/blog/time-to-tell-parents-the-truth-about-helping-their-kids-with-reading 

shanahanonliteracy.com/blog/should-i-teach-students-to-memorize-sight-words-and-monitor-their-progress 

uurc.utah.edu/General/HomeWord.php