Building Confidence in a Struggling Reader

We have all had the feeling of discouragement when we know we cannot do what our peers can do. I'll never forget being on a church softball team. I wanted to have fun with my husband and group of friends, but I've never hit a ball with a bat in my life. After one day of practice, I was asked (nicely and with much humor) to just cheer from the sidelines. I was an adult, so my feelings were not hurt. But I do remember thinking, "Why am I so awful at this?" It's not a good feeling.

Very early, sometimes even in kindergarten, a child will know when she is behind her peers. Pointing out a child's strengths (empathy, kindness, math, etc.) can sometimes help. Teachers are very skilled at recognizing all children's strengths. However, sometimes there is not much you can do to protect the feeling of being behind peers. I tell struggling students, "I know reading is hard for you. We are going to find out why. I bet you just need to learn a different way!" And I always remind students that everyone struggles with something.

There is one thing I KNOW must happen. And it must happen from kindergarten through high school. YOUR CHILD MUST HAVE CONSTANT ACCESS TO BOOKS SHE CAN READ. While the teacher might be pushing grade-level texts, your child must be reading many, many books on her level. If your child struggles to read the books that come home from school (and if no books are coming home from school, that would be another problem that needs to be addressed), contact the teacher and insist books come home that your child can read at 90% accuracy or above. Anything harder can be frustrating. Research shows even adults will put down a book that they cannot read with 99% accuracy. We want to be able to read easily when we read for pleasure! Very early beginning books are hard to find in libraries, but your school should have them. 

Have your child reread books. As she gets older, she may not want to read it two or three times. You'll hear, "But I've already read that!" But rereading builds fluency and solidifies more sight words in her brain! It will also build her confidence as she sees she is reading well! I love telling students, "Can you hear yourself? You are a reader!!!"