What if Reading is Still a Fight This Year? When to Get Help for Kids Struggling with Reading
If you have kids struggling with reading, you’re probably familiar with the fight. They don’t like reading. It’s boring. It’s hard.
This battle is exhausting for kids, parents, and teachers alike, and a lack of confidence in reading bleeds over into every other subject area as well. Reading is the foundation for learning, so what happens when it doesn’t come easily? The answer is that they usually become frustrated and unmotivated.
If your child has been struggling with reading for any amount of time, you may be wondering how much is enough. When should you “give it time,” or when should you pursue intervention? The answer varies depending on your child and unique situations, but in general, here’s what we recommend.
For Young Kids: Lay the Foundation to Prevent Reading Struggles
If you have a preschooler or younger elementary student, there is a maturity factor that has to click before reading can happen. If they are in kindergarten and not keeping up with peers, it may just be that they are developmentally not quite ready to learn how to read independently.
These are kids that may benefit from one more year of practice UNLESS you’re seeing concerns in other areas as well. Cognitive milestones are important markers for academic success!
If they are struggling to focus, remember basic tasks, make logical connections, or form stories or ideas, it’s worth a look into their cognitive skill levels to find out what roadblocks may be coming.
Laying a sure foundation early with brain training can prevent reading and learning struggles down the road because their brains will have the tools they need to learn effectively from day 1!
For Elementary Students: Don’t Put Off Getting Help if They’re Struggling With Reading
Research shows that the longer you wait to address reading struggles, the bigger the gap will be to overcome. Most kids don’t just “catch up” on their own; they need a targeted solution that addresses the root cause of why they struggle in the first place.
If you have an elementary student who struggles with fluency, decoding new words, or comprehension, you don’t just have to wait it out and fight it out for another year. We are here to help them become more confident readers—and sharper in all subject areas at the same time!
Our approach to reading help targets weak cognitive skills, which means that the drills we use to strengthen memory for reading will also strengthen memory for math facts, for example. This kind of intervention differs from what the school offers because we focus on WHY your child struggles, instead of just introducing a new curriculum or reading program.
For Tweens and Teens: They Are Not “Too Cool” for Reading Help!
For kids who squeak by in elementary and middle school but still struggle in their teen years, reading help can feel like something that is below them—but it’s not! Becoming a successful reader, including reading comprehension, will make college, trade schools, or jobs easier down the road.
Addressing issues with fluency, comprehension, memory, spelling, and writing during the teen years is vital to set them up for a lifetime of success. As with all learning struggles, getting an idea of where their cognitive skills are will help you determine the right course of action to help them succeed. Our cognitive skills assessment can show you which areas are weak so we can help them reach their fullest potential!
You Don’t Have To Spend Another Year Fighting
Get your struggling reader the help they need to succeed! Give us a call today to learn more.
