Reading is a difficult task for kids as they are learning to read. Being a 7-year-old struggling reader can be frustrating at times, but there are many simple ways to help them succeed. In this post, we will discuss 15 ideas that parents and teachers can use to support a 7 year old struggling with reading. These ideas will also help improve the reading skills of children suffering from Dyslexia & learning disabilities & will also help them to improve their phonemic awareness.
Read the same book that they are reading
This will help them with their fluency and comprehension skills. They can learn new words as well as ask questions about what is going on in the tale by having you read it to them.
Grab some books that are easy to read
To make sure your child gets a good start without getting demoralized, make sure to get books that are easy to read. There are many websites where you can find lists of different types of books categorized by grade level, word count, and Lexile reading levels for kids. Or you can find some good ones on amazon by clicking here.
Read the same book with them at night before bedtime
This will help you & your child to bond over a story together. If they have trouble getting started or keeping up, don’t be afraid to re-read some pages or even chapters again until it starts making sense!
Another way to help ease their transition into learning how to read independently is by continuing some of their nighttime routines as a family. For example, if you usually all sit together and read books before going to sleep, continue this routine without fail to make it a habit.
Talk about their day while driving in the car
Talking about what happened each day, especially at school, will help your child to recap what happened and show them how important it is to pay attention in class.
Use sticky notes
When looking through picture books that may be too advanced for them, use sticky notes on pages to make them understand difficult words, so they don’t get discouraged when trying to sound out new words! They will most likely recognize these words next time around because they are memorable.
Have them read with a friend so they feel motivated to do better!
This is especially helpful for students who have trouble staying focused or get bored easily while reading independently at home. If your child has difficulty finding someone their age that lives nearby, ask if you can help find some other kids in the neighborhood who would be interested in this idea!
Talk about the book after you have finished reading it together
Ask them some higher-level thinking questions like “Why do you think she did this? Explain.” or “What would happen if?” These types of questions make kids begin to use more complex language while engaging with literature – something we want for all children!
Have an engaging conversation whenever possible
Even when not reading one together directly. Point out interesting information from a grocery store flier or television commercial and ask your child about it.
Encourage drawing
Encourage your child to draw about the book they are reading or have read recently. They do not need to be an artist, but this can help kids think in ways that may engage their minds differently – which is always a good idea!
Give your child time alone with books at home every day
Even if only for 15 minutes while you make dinner or clean up after breakfast. This will allow children some space to decompress and relax, especially when schoolwork seems tough all day long. It also helps develop independence skills by allowing children to self-regulate how much time they spend reading each day.
Encourage them when they’re doing well, but don’t push them too hard
Even if they are eager to read more or finish a book faster, some children need time and space for independent reading. There is no right pace! Don’t forget about their teachers too – let them know how your child is doing at home so that you can work together on creating the best plan of action moving forward.
Let them have breaks
Let them stop mid-chapter if they need to. Everyone gets distracted sometimes while reading by some sound outside or some thought in their head. So let your child know that it is ok if he needs to take a break from reading occasionally without feeling bad about it because it will help him to refocus when he is ready.
Make use of a dictionary
Give them a notebook and ask them to write down words that are unfamiliar or difficult for them as they read. This can be an engaging activity if you have your child find the word in their dictionary. Or use Google’s search feature on tablets/phones which will show definitions along with other related words so they can better understand how it is used. Some children may want to copy these new vocabulary words into sentences after writing about what they mean because this keeps the learning process active instead of just memorizing individual terms. It also allows your child time away from reading while still being involved with something productive!
Make reading fun by playing games or acting out favorite stories
When your child reads to you, get them to pause at different parts of the story and tell what can happen next. Ask questions while they read so that they have to think about new words in context instead of just memorizing without understanding how it works. This can be done for both fiction books as well as nonfiction texts like science articles or historical narratives on biographies, etc. The focus should be placed on making sure comprehension is understood before moving forward with more advanced material. Practice summarization skills by asking children to retell a specific part of the book after they finish reading.
Don’t take grade levels too seriously
Grade levels for text complexity can be found by using Lexile, but this is not an exact science and should only be used as a guide to what children are capable of understanding at different points in time – especially depending on the child’s learning pace. Language comprehension has many factors that need to be assessed before determining where exactly your child may fit best. This often includes self-assessment using multiple-choice tests, which give better insight than just looking over their shoulder while they read.
Don’t push or rush them into more advanced material if they’re still lacking proficiency with basic skills like fluency (speed) and decoding (word recognition). When struggling with reading, it’s important to understand that learning is a process and not an event. It takes time for kids to reach their full potential, so be patient!
Conclusion
Remember that even if your child is struggling with reading, everyone is different in terms of what helps them be successful. Try each tip for a few weeks to see which ones work best for your family then keep those up! Also, remember not every idea will work perfectly the first time it’s tried so don’t give up right away – just try again another day. Good luck helping your seven-year-old succeed at school this year!
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