For the emotional and intellectual development of a child, reading is undoubtedly very important. It is a fundamental skill that influences the academic as well as personal development of a child. Having strong reading skills helps children succeed in life in different ways. But those with weak reading skills or any reading disorder like dyslexia have to struggle a lot for the same.
Reading is a fundamental skill that affects the academic development of a child. However, all children do not learn to read and write at the same rate. Some children take high time to grab new words, sentences, etc. while others take less. Those with dyslexia have lower reading potential, and they also have less interest in reading and learning. This makes it essential for the parents of children with such reading disorders to hire an experienced reading tutor for them and help them improve their reading potential.
Reading tutors have well experience in improving the skills of children with dyslexia. These tutors not only just set them on a path to success but also help them improve their reading skills. Some effective ways to improve the reading potential of dyslexic children with reading tutors are listed below.
Table of Contents
Identifying Your Child’s Reading Level and Goals
One of the first things that a reading tutor should do is be sure about the current reading level and goals of your child. Paying attention to the reading level and goals of your child is essential to make sure that they will be provided guidance and support accordingly. Each dyslexic child has a different reading level and goals. Understanding the reading level of your child helps the tutor find out the right material as well as strategies for tutoring sessions. Attention to your child’s goals helps them tailor the session as per your child’s specific needs.
Vocabulary Building
Another effective way to improve reading potential with reading tutors is vocabulary building. Vocabulary is one of the most essential aspects of reading and thus good attention. To help dyslexic children, reading tutors can introduce them to new words. They can expand their vocabulary by encouraging them to use the new words in everyday life. With this, they make them familiar with tough and new words that they should use to improve their reading skills.
Encouraging Active Reading
Encouraging active reading among dyslexic children is essential to improve their reading skills. Dyslexic children usually avoid reading out loud. They have a lack of confidence, due to which reading tutors have to make efforts on them. Reading tutors can encourage active reading by asking the dyslexic child questions, making predictions, and summarizing what they have read. With this, they can develop the critical thinking skills of the dyslexic child and improves comprehension.
Creating a Comfortable Learning Environment
Dyslexic children need a comfortable and safe learning environment to perform better and improve their skills. A comfortable and safe environment is not just essential for effective tutoring but also to make your dyslexic child feel comfortable with the tutor. It also helps your child get the confidence he/she may need to communicate freely with that tutor without any fear of judgment. Patience, offering praise, establishing routines, and positive feedback, help reading tutors encourage the dyslexic child for more effort and better performance.
Using Engaging Materials
Many reading tutors also prefer using engaging materials, such as games, puzzles, books, etc. to develop reading interest in dyslexic children and them motivated. Choosing the right material such as books, etc, as per the age, your child’s interests and reading skills help them improve the child’s reading level. The use of word searches or crossword puzzles, by the tutor also helps them reinforce vocabulary as well as spelling.
Use of Appropriate approaches
Along with engaging material, the use of appropriate approaches such as Orton Gillingham also helps reading tutors provide the best support to dyslexic children. From approaches like Orton Gillingham, there are different things that these experts can use to help dyslexic children in different ways. Reading tutors can also focus on independent reading to improve the reading potential of your dyslexic child. Their support can encourage your child to read outside of tutoring sessions.
Attention To Fluency
Fluency is the ability of a person to read smoothly as well as accurately, with appropriate speed and expression. But dyslexic children have low fluency and thus need a good push from reading tutors to develop their fluency. Reading tutors can develop the fluency of your dyslexic child by reading aloud with them. Feedback from these tutors on their pace and expression, and opportunities to practice reading with expression also help dyslexic children improve their skills. With the use of a variety of techniques, such as word recognition exercises, phonics games, etc. reading tutors can also focus on phonics as well as word recognition to help children develop these skills.
Final Thoughts
Reading tutors play a major role in improving the reading potential of dyslexic children and setting them on the path to success. Those who are professionals and have high experienced in approaches like Orton Gillingham turn out to be a valuable resource for dyslexic children who not only just need extra support by also the right guidance for improving their reading skills.
