How To Help Reluctant Readers at Home

Getting children to read at home is a difficult task in itself. But assisting kids who are struggling is a huge and sometimes tedious argument. Children who are struggling will avoid reading at all costs. There are a few things that can make everyone's lives easier.

1. Encourage reading in your home. First and probably most important is to encourage reading in your home. Often, this is the most difficult to fit into a busy schedule. Set aside a family time to read. Turn off the TV. Turn off the computers and find a cozy spot to read. You may choose to read in bed, or possibly to pull out a blanket and have the family sprawl out on it. If your child sees that you take the time to read, he will be more motivated to read himself. Most children want to emulate their parents. Giving children a love of reading is a task in itself, but once stirred up, is difficult to revert.
2. Take a trip to the bookstore or library. In order to complete the first task, take a trip to the bookstore or library. Have every family member choose something to read that interests him. Even if your child chooses to read magazines, it's still reading. I assure you that your child's teacher will love the results. As a teacher myself, getting a child to read can be as easy as showing him books or magazines that he is interested in. I've seen children read celebrity sports biographies or game magazines. Eventually you'll find that your child will start choosing more and more things to read. All you really want is to encourage him or her to read--what he reads is up to him.

   Struggling readers usually are having difficulty with the process of reading itself. Take some time to go over the materials that your child has chosen. Alternate reading portions of the book or magazine. This will give you some insight to what the problem may be. If he's struggling with sounds, read with your child, sounding out words. Take time to sound out words yourself. If your child thinks that you truly understand his problem, he will be encouraged to conquer it. If you see that the problem is pacing, then practice makes perfect. Read, read, and read some more! It will take time, but together you, your child, and your child's teacher will conquer the problem and reading will become less and less of a chore.

3. Set a family reading goal. Last, but certainly not least, set a family reading goal. Decide as a family what reward you want to attain. Keep a little chart on the refrigerator to monitor everyone's progress. This will encourage each member to work together as a team, building family unity. Be sure that once the goal is met, you follow through with the reward. For the next goal, set the stakes a little higher, requiring your child to read a little more. Feel free to increase the reward. Continue this pattern until your child starts to pick up things to read on his own.

These are just a few tips to assist you with your child's reading requirements. They can be modified to fit your family and its needs. The important key is to gain a love of reading, which is something that will last a lifetime.