How to support your blossoming reader. When it comes to teaching children to read, there is no one “right” way. While some children seem to pick up reading effortlessly, others may need more support. It's essential to avoid creating pressure, as this can turn learning into a struggle. Every child learns and develops at their own pace, and as homeschooling parents, our role is to support and nurture that growth.
Creating a supportive learning environment can foster a lifelong love of stories, a curious mind, and the joy of reading. Let’s explore some effective strategies! 1. Peer Reading Peer reading, which I learned about from The Parents' Guide to Specific Learning Difficulties, involves reading together with a parent, friend, or sibling. Both readers have identical copies of the material and read aloud simultaneously. This method can be used with any reading material that interests your child and helps take the pressure off them to read alone, providing support with difficult words. Once you find your rhythm, it can be really enjoyable! 2. Try Non-Fiction Novels or long books can be daunting, especially with their plots, characters, and contexts. If your child has specific interests, like animals, print short articles on different species for them to read. Great resources include Education.com and Education World. 3. Embrace Poetry Poetry offers a unique reading practice, being short and often lyrical. It can be funny for younger children or thought-provoking for older ones. For one of my clients, we do a “Poem of the Week” every Tuesday. Their daughter eagerly anticipates this and sometimes even sneaks the poem off the printer on Monday nights! (Check my Blossom Blog regularly for our Poem of the Month.) 4. Read to Your Pet Our cat, “The Very Hairy Homework Fairy,” loves to sit on my daughter’s arm as she reads or does math problems, providing non-judgmental support. Pets make perfect listeners for children with reading anxiety. While Therapy Dogs are commonly used, any pet can serve this purpose—even a parakeet, goldfish, or stuffed animal. The key is getting your child to read. 5. Utilize Audiobooks Using audiobooks can help struggling readers gain confidence and improve fluency. Choose a beloved chapter book, find it on Audible or another audio source, and have your child listen and read along. They can pause when needed and use a ruler to follow along with the text. 6. Take Turns Reading For children who daydream or have trouble staying focused, take turns reading every other line. This keeps them engaged and ready for their next part. It’s also a fun activity if you pick a silly story or poem. 7. Play Teacher An older child struggling with reading might benefit from a confidence boost. Have them read familiar children’s stories to younger siblings or friends. Playing the teacher makes it feel like a game, while providing valuable reading practice. 8. Use Colored Rulers Colored rulers or overlays can relax the eyes, make print clearer, and help with comprehension. Let your child choose the color that feels best for them while reading. (See purchase options for colored rulers.) 9. Prompted Reading Some children can read well technically but struggle with complex plots. Support them by creating a summary of the content and plot questions to follow while reading. Knowing what to look for helps make sense of the text. Websites like SparkNotes provide summaries that can save you time. 10. Read Your Own Writing Have your child dictate a story or idea to you, then read it back to them. This strengthens reading skills and helps them spot any grammar errors they might have missed. It’s an effective and engaging way to practice reading. 11. Remove the Pressure The key to learning any new skill is to be kind to yourself and take it easy. I recommend “L-A-Y-A-B-O-U-T” books—high-interest books scattered around the house in places like the bedroom, bathroom, and family room. You might find your child happily reading on their own! P.S. for more homeschooling ideas, go to Blossom Learning.
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