While reading is a fundamental literacy skill that opens doors to imagination and success, it’s not the easiest skill to master—especially for young children. Many kids experience challenges in their reading journey that include bouts of frustration, confusion, and self-doubt. A healthy dose of this is normal. However, when you start to see signs of low confidence in your child every time they read, it’s crucial to step in and provide support.
In this article, we address ways you can help your struggling reader when they need a little extra guidance so they can strengthen their skills and build confidence.
How to Tell If a Student Struggles With Reading Confidence
Most commonly, a learning difficulty causes a lack of confidence when reading. Whether it be a missed concept or a learning disorder, literacy struggles can significantly impact a child’s confidence and their academic performance. Even if your child is competent in reading at their developmental stage but lacks confidence, it’s worth addressing.
Identifying the cause of reading insecurity sometimes gets tricky because low confidence can create a negative feedback loop, making a child less motivated to practice reading or even resistant to literacy in general. Signs of low reading confidence in a child can look like:
- Struggling to sound out words in print
- Reading at a slow pace, whether silently or out loud
- Substandard reading comprehension
- Reluctance toward reading and schoolwork
- Feelings of embarrassment or shame around reading
When ignored, these issues can cause serious setbacks in a child’s literacy education. If you notice low confidence or reading difficulties in your student, seek help from their teacher, doctor, or a reading specialist to talk things through.
Strategies to Help Struggling Readers at Home
Is your child lacking confidence in this phase of learning? If so, here are some ideas on how you can empower them.
1. Create a Positive Reading Environment
Initiate a positive, encouraging, and supportive atmosphere so that your child feels open to reading. Make a daily practice of reading in a way that’s enjoyable and free of stress. Choose comfy seating, let your child select the books they want to read, involve the whole family, and celebrate your child’s progress every day.
2. Use Multiple Senses in Reading
Learning to read isn’t all about words on a page. In fact, it’s closely linked with other senses including visual and auditory processing. Touch can also be an effective way to foster deeper learning. Use different techniques like playing with letter tiles, tracing words in sand or foam, and making “character collages” of your child’s favorite storybooks.
3. Practice Phonemic Awareness
Your child’s ability to recognize and manipulate individual sounds of spoken language is important to reading success. This skill is called phonemic awareness and it’s something you can practice to build confidence as they learn literacy concepts. Rhyming games, sound blending, and other phonemic activities can improve reading confidence.
4. Focus on Fluency
Read aloud with excitement and expression. Remain willing to re-read the books your child loves, even if you might get sick of the same story. Model fluent reading skills to your child when you read out loud. All of these encourage their fluency, which strengthens comprehension and reading enjoyment.
5. Build Vocabulary
The more words a child knows, the more confidence they will have when learning to read. Introduce new words gradually, being intentional to use them in everyday conversations. Encourage your child to use new words and ask what unfamiliar words mean.
6. Read Aloud
Reading aloud is intimidating for readers who lack confidence. However, it’s a crucial skill to develop, so encourage your child to practice reading aloud when they’re in a safe and supportive environment. Start with easier texts and then gradually move up in difficulty.
7. Use Digital Technology
Learning apps can be a fun, engaging way to encourage your child to practice reading. The Reading.com app, for example, is a wonderful at-home platform that teaches reading effectively, incorporating phonics, fluency, and comprehension exercises that build confidence.
8. Use Decodable Texts
Decodable texts or “decodable readers” are short books that contain words a child has experienced sounding out before and also new words that provide enough of a challenge to increase developing skills. These types of books are ideal when children are building confidence, as they’re developed specifically to carry the reader with enough motivation to keep reading.
9. Get Creative With Reading Materials
Why limit your child to reading only books? Words in print are everywhere. Find something your child enjoys reading:
- Comic books
- Kids’ magazines
- Recipes
- Board games or card games
- Food labels
- Restaurant menus
- Video game instructions
- Maps and directories
- Family-friendly text messages
Giving your child variety maintains their interest and motivation in reading.
10. Follow the Science of Reading
Above all, children gain reading confidence when they know how to read properly. Evidence-based instruction that follows the science of reading is the most proven and reliable way to help kids build the skills they need to fluently read. No matter what strategy you take, implement research-backed activities and lessons that improve outcomes for your struggling reader. If you need help or feel like you’ve tried everything, reach out to a reading specialist.
Inspire a Love of Reading in Your Child
By implementing these strategies, you can help your struggling reader build confidence and develop a genuine love for reading that lasts a lifetime. As you support your child’s reading journey, remember to be supportive and maintain consistency. Every small step forward is a victory worth celebrating.
To help your struggling reader find confidence at home, try the Reading.com app! The activities and exercises were designed to support children along their reading journey. The app includes systematic instruction, interactive reading games, decodable books, parent involvement, and a personalized, enjoyable learning experience for all. Check out Reading.com today for a free trial and unlock a world of literacy for your young learner!