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Comprehension Improvement Tools

How Reading Aloud Increases Comprehension

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Reading aloud can provide children with an opportunity to learn phrasing of sentences and develop fluency in English. It also helps to increase a child’s interest in reading and nurture his creativity. When a child reads aloud, his comprehension skills automatically improve as he gains knowledge about phonics and word building. However, the process should only be carried under supervision to ensure that the child gains the maximum benefit out of it.

A student with good comprehension skills will be able to easily read and understand the text by identifying the words mentioned in the passage. This improves his literary caliber and helps him to enjoy reading. Certain reading tools can also be used to improve comprehension and learning skills, subsequently increasing fluency.

Reading aloud can increase comprehension in the following ways:

  • Improved Retention: Reading aloud helps to form visual and auditory links in our memory pathways. This helps us to remember things in a better way and eventually improves comprehension skills. When you read aloud, you can clearly remember most of the words and also increase your vocabulary.
  • Helps To Build Connections: While reading out loud, you can make instant connections between the words in the book and real life. You connect to similar real life stories and experiences that organize things in your mind. This leads to better retention and enables you to read faster as they recognize words.
  • Sounding Out Words Becomes Easier: Reading aloud technique makes it much simpler to sound out words. With correct guidance, individuals are able to pronounce the word correctly. However, comprehension skills may improve only if there is phonemic awareness and alertness. A student can easily break down words and then identify common letter sounds while reading.
  • Improves listening and reading skills: When reading aloud, you are easily able to identify grammar and also learn the sentence structures. When you are able to read efficiently, you expand your interpretative skills. Identifying the written word is very beneficial when you want to understand passages and answer questions related to it.

See-N-Read Reading Tools are designed to increase comprehension and reading skills in people of all age-groups. They enhance focus on the line being read and reduce word/ line skipping while reading out loud. For more information, call at (630) 236 – 5592.

Improve Reading Skill

Signs Of A Reading Problem

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As a parent, you need to be very observant to realize if your child has a reading problem at an early age. If your child finds it difficult to join the sounds in words or struggles with word games or rhyming words; chances are that he has a reading problem. It is essential to monitor him at an early stage and improve his reading skills so that such difficulties don’t get stuck with him throughout his life.

Some of the most common signs of a reading problem include:

  • Trying to pronounce the same word repeatedly
  • Skipping words in sentences and not stopping to rectify
  • Inability to differentiate between unfamiliar words
  • Not paying attention to punctuation marks while reading
  • Recognizing a particular word on one page but forgetting it on the next page
  • Adding extra letters in a word while reading
  • Difficulty in reading single words on flashcards
  • Re-reading or skipping lines while reading
  • Poor reading comprehension
  • Avoiding reading small words such as the, and, or etc.
  • Replacing words with similar meaning words while reading

Reading problems can be triggered by the following factors:

  • Repeated ear infections during early years
  • Speech delays while growing up
  • Dyslexia
  • Vision disorders
  • Autism
  • Poor memory
  • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

How Can You Help?

Parents can really help by observing and identifying areas of reading difficulty. Although it takes time and effort, reading issues can be tackled with time and consistent effort. You can help in the following ways:

  • Focus on the positive: Do not point out the reading disability of your child in front of his peers and family members. Instead, focus on his positive attributes and highlight his strengths to emphasize the desirability and interest in reading. For instance, if your child is artistic, draw pictures to help him understand a particular story.
  • Use reading tools: You can improve your child’s reading skills with the help of reading tools that provide training for steady eye control and visual processing, rapid letter naming and phonics. Use these tools to enhance cognitive processes that enable reading, spelling and writing.
  • Set realistic goals: Design short-term goals that lead your child toward improved reading. Patiently practice reading everyday with your child, using frequent praise and gentle correction. Each day, have your child read a page or chapter from an interesting book to help him to productively climb the ladder of success. Setting a series of achievable goals will lead to incremental improvement (“Rome wasn’t built in a day,” right?).
  • Don’t Let Your Child Be Negatively Affected: Don’t let spelling difficulty stop your child from expressing himself. The first priority is to understand the ideas and concepts being communicated on the page. Children with reading deficiencies often have difficulty with memorizing and spelling words or grasping the “main idea”. Build success by trying various coping strategies to help with fluency and comprehension and encourage her to try different ideas to express herself. Teach her to think through the problem and, when necessary, to seek help from a dictionary or spell-check (without such tools being the ‘first choice’).

If your child is suffering from reading problems such as word or line skipping or pattern glare (words seem to move on the page), consider See-N-Read Reading Tools. For more information, see www.see-n-read.com or call (630) 236 – 5592.

Reading Tools

Helping Your Child Build A Strong Vocabulary

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Strong vocabulary is a prerequisite for cultivating a lifetime of love for reading and learning. A child with a solid vocabulary will enjoy reading and have a better understanding of the written expression. It is thus essential for parents to assist their children in learning new words on a daily basis. Nowadays, there are a number of physical tools that can be used to build vocabulary and improve reading skills.

Below are some tips that can help to build your child’s vocabulary:

  • Teach the kids according to their level: Whenever you introduce a new word to your child, always make it simpler and easier to understand. Depending on your child’s age, provide a simple and kid-friendly definition of the new word. Secondly, give a very easy example that makes sense in his day-to-day life. Your child should also be encouraged to develop his own examples. For retention of new words, keep using them frequently in the house and make your kids also use it.
  • Do not pressurize: Making your child grasp too many new words at one time can make him forget all of them completely. The key is not to go overboard while trying to enhance the vocabulary of your kids. Don’t try to teach too many or too less new words. It is best to choose five new words every week and make your child learn them. Use the words in everyday conversations for easier learning.
  • Let your child develop a story: One of the most interesting ways of developing your child’s vocabulary is by letting him develop a story on his own. Let him imagine new things and put it in his own words. In between, you can introduce new words and concepts and use them while talking later on.
  • Help your child visualize: When you start teaching new words to your children, it is also important to help them visualize those words. You can show pictures of the new words on the Internet or some books for description. While pointing out new verbs, you can act those words in front of your children. This will enhance their vocabulary at a much faster pace and visualization will further help in better retention.
  • Let your child read and write daily: Whenever your child has learnt a new word, he needs to read it, pronounce it and write it on a daily basis. Encourage your child to repeat those words loudly and spell them accurately. Also, tell him the meaning and try to use those words in a sentence so that he can have a better understanding.

See-N-Spell™ Spelling and Vocabulary Quick Reference Guide aims at helping struggling writers to correctly spell the most commonly used words in the American Lexicon. For more information about our learning tools, you can call at (630) 236 – 5592.

Reading Tools

How To Improve Your Spelling Skills

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Some spellings have always been tough to remember due to their contradictions and exceptions. While certain words have silent letters, others are spelled differently in spite of having the same pronunciation, which may cause confusion.

If you find it difficult to spell certain words correctly, you may use the following tricks to sharpen your skills:

Learn the rules – English language comprises of words with different pronunciations and writing styles. You may not be able to remember all the rules at once but, you can always begin by noticing the common patterns in diverse words. It is important to note that all spelling rules applied in this language are not universal therefore, you must be aware of their exceptions as well.

Read a lot – Reading is the best technique to improve your vocabulary and reduce spelling errors. While reading you encounter various words that unnoticeably sink in your mind and help you spell better. Reading newspapers and magazines can also help you to get hold over the newest forms and elocution of words. In case you do not understand a word, you can use a dictionary.

Learn via crosswords – Puzzles are a good way to challenge your thinking and exercise your mind. You may solve various crosswords to learn new spellings. The hints given to fill the grid down and across will help you to find the appropriate words along with their meanings. This exercise also aids in remembering the words with their correct meanings and spellings.

Watch English shows with subtitles – captioned and subtitled TV shows are one the best ways to learn spellings and pronunciation of words. You may not be able to make notes, but you’ll definitely grasp the difference between the correctly and incorrectly spelled words.

Spelling competition and quizzes – This is an interesting and a fun-filled way to learn spellings. You can ask your friends to spell out the words that you find tricky and vice versa, or you can just play the online spelling quizzes.

Write whenever you spell – Make a habit of jotting down the words you try to spell. In order to keep a record, you can even make a notebook that comprises of all the newly learned words. It will act as quick reference guide to the words, which you often find difficult to spell.

Take help of reading tools – If you have trouble remembering the correct spellings, consider consulting books that are specifically designed to resolve such issues. For the convenience of the readers, these books are divided into various sections like misspelled words, commonly used words, special interest words etc. You can use them to verify the correct usage of any word.

See-N-Spell™ is an effective tool designed to improve spelling and build academic vocabulary in people of all age groups. For more information, you can call at (630) 236 – 5592.

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The “Language” Barrier: Why Students Struggle to Read Correctly and What You Can Do To Help

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When a child has difficulty reading, it’s important to understand that it isn’t necessarily because they’re not reading fast enough or they’re having a hard time discerning the meaning of the words. Oftentimes, issues develop with the physical act of reading itself. Kids can have a hard time staying on the proper line as their eyes move across a paragraph (thus changing the order of the words), or may accidentally switch words around in their heads.

This “Language” barrier (that is to say, a barrier not with any particular idea, but with language as a form of visual communication) is very real and is affecting millions of kids right now.

The Language Barrier: Facts and Figures

According to one study, more than $2 billion is spent every year to help students who are forced to repeat their current grade for no other reason than that they have a reading problem. A distressing fact from the National Research Council’s Committee on Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children is that the education of an estimated 25 to 40 percent of kids in the United States is in danger because, for a variety of reasons, they find reading too difficult.

According to a report commissioned by the National Institutes of Health, up to 10 percent of people across the country of all ages have these types of specific, brain-based reading difficulties – including those who are characterized as having average or above average intelligence. 

It’s particularly important to address this situation in young children because taking corrective measures while someone is still in their formative years has a profound positive impact on the rest of their lives.

Finding a Solution

Addressing this issue requires a certain change in perspective. A student who is struggling to read correctly for these types of reasons does not have a problem to be “fixed” or “eliminated”. They have a problem that must be solved. It’s about finding a solution to the issue, which is why assistive devices like those available from See-N-Read® Learning Tools are so essential.

At their core, the learning tools from See-N-Read® are designed to give readers the ability to support the cognitive and visual skills required to not only read faster and more effectively, but to also process and remember that information more easily. They don’t address the symptoms a person may be experiencing, but instead offer a solution by way of improved and supported fluency – that is, the ability for a person to read text at a natural, accurate pace.

The See-N-Read® reading strip, for just one example, uses a clear strip to essentially “highlight” a full line of text on a page WITHOUT visually blocking other lines that may be valuable for context. The text is essentially emphasized, allowing a reader with difficulties to focus on the current line while still improving fluency and overall comprehension.

When students suffer from reading difficulties, it can be overwhelming for everyone involved – from parents to teachers to, most importantly, the students themselves. Teachers who utilize research-based, classroom-tested products to students that support natural reading processes will improve student performance in multiple subject areas. Such research-based tools offer functional solutions that create an environment where students can truly flourish.

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4 Reasons Kids Have Reading Problems and How You Can Help

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As a classroom teacher, you know how important reading is to the success of your students. For those that struggle with this skill, though, the causes might not be as clear. Some of the most common reasons that make it difficult for youngsters to read include:

1. Attention-deficit disorder (ADD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

A brain-based condition, attention-deficit disorder (ADD) is the most common one identified in children. Its core symptom is a lack of focus that can make it difficult for kids to stay on task. In many children, this lack of focus is coupled with hyperactivity — attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) — which can lead to fidgeting and/or acting out in class.  Too often, these kids are merely labelled as ‘behavior problems’.

2. Dyslexia

Dyslexia is another brain-based condition that can make it difficult for children to learn to read. Youngsters with dyslexia often find recognizing letters and their accompanying sounds laborious. Recognizing and sounding out new words and connecting rhyming can be challenging for these kids. Skipping words and losing their place while reading are other common issues seen in children who have dyslexia, partly because they’re spending so much effort on decoding. Dyslexia can also make reading comprehension exhausting.

3. Visual processing disorder

A child with a visual processing disorder could struggle with recognizing the differences between shapes and/or letters. The order in which the letters appear might be jumbled. Word and line-skipping is common due to visual processing or eye control issues. Kids with visual processing disorder often complain of seeing double or that their vision is blurry.

4. Auditory processing disorder (APD)

Students who have auditory processing disorder (APD) have difficulty processing what they hear. This makes it difficult for them to understand directions or grasp the plot of a story that is read aloud to them. Because reading involves successfully connecting each letter with its appropriate sounds, APD makes it challenging for kids to hear the subtle differences between letters that are essential for reading.

How You Can Help

Whether your struggling students have been formally diagnosed with one of the above conditions, they are undergoing testing to determine if there is a medical explanation for their struggles or they exhibit some telltale signs, there is a practical solution you can offer in your classroom to help them now. See-N-Read® Learning Tools were developed based on the latest research. Classroom tested, simple to implement in the learning program of any child and affordable, See-N-Read® Reading Tools help children stay focused on specific lines of text. This invaluable resource helps the child keep the place on the page to improve reading performance, reduce frustration and increase confidence

Improve Reading Comprehension

How To Overcome Distractions While Reading

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Good reading skills can be beneficial in all spheres of life. Whether you are a student or a professional, it is common to face distractions while reading. A peaceful and conducive environment can help to concentrate better. Let’s take a look at some other tips which can help to overcome distractions while reading:

Set the place

It is very important to choose a right place as it can affect the reading speed. You may like to read in your room but you can easily get distracted by TV or video games. Make sure you find a quiet and well-lit place that is free from any sort of distractions. You can even visit a library for this purpose. If you are planning to read continuously for a few hours, ascertain that you have a comfortable chair and table. This will help to maintain the right posture and improve reading efficiency.

Develop a routine

You should create a fixed schedule for reading. Know the time which suits you the best and read during those hours. This will help to improve your concentration. Generally, mornings are considered to be the most preferred time to read as the mind is fresh.

Turn off all electronic devices

Notifications, incoming calls and texts can cause a lot of disturbance. Make sure you switch your mobile phones, tablets, laptops, etc. off while reading. It will help you to stay focused and increase your reading speed.

Take frequent breaks

Performing the same task for extended period of time can be monotonous. That is why you should take regular breaks while reading. During this time, you can get involved in some other recreational activities, watch TV or listen to music. When you get back to reading, you will feel more active and fresh which will help you to keep distractions at bay.

Track your performance

You can set reading goals and monitor your performance regularly. Look for the methods that help you read faster and minimize distractions. If you find improvement in your speed, continue using these techniques. In case you do not get good results, consider changing your reading schedule or methods. This will help to enhance your reading fluency.

Use Reading Tools

There are many reading tools available that can help you to concentrate and improve your comprehension skills. The reading strip present in these tools will filter out the distractions so that you are better able to maintain place on the page.
If you follow the above mentioned tips, you will be able to attain maximum focus while reading.

See-N-Read Reading Tools can help to reduce distractions and improve concentration while reading. For more information about the tools, feel free to call at (630) 236-5592.

Improve Spelling

Helping Your Child With Spelling

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Many children struggle with spelling. This is a common cause of poor performance on school tests. While some kids merely memorize words, others may find it nearly impossible to learn spelling in the first place because they don’t have a learning strategy. Thus, to improve the child’s spelling, parents must devote extra time at home and make efforts to identify more effective learning techniques.

The Need To Spell Correctly

Knowing how to spell different words correctly can improve the child’s reading and writing skills. It not only enables him to remember the sequence of letters in a word; it helps to understand how a word is pronounced and written. This enables less stammering and a higher level of confidence, opening the door to better grades.

Ways To Teach Spelling

There is no fixed rule for teaching a child to spell. Parents should try a variety of methods to determine those that work the best. Listed below are some ways that can help to improve your child’s spelling:

  • Encourage to read

A good reader has a better visual memory. Reading out loud can help the child to be familiar with how the words look and sound. Both visual and auditory senses are helpful in improving word recognition and reducing spelling mistakes.

  • Use a dictionary

The child should be encouraged to use a dictionary to look for various words and their spellings. Parents, however, should not let the child be completely dependent on a dictionary. They should first ask him to attempt to spell the word. Then, let him check the spelling in the dictionary and correct his mistakes.

  • Create Flash cards

Flash cards are a great method to improve your child’s spelling by helping develop his memory. Write the words he finds difficult on these cards. Pin them on the notice board in his room or stick them on the wall so he can see them frequently. She may also carry the cards to school and review them while eating or walking.

  • Write On A Chalk Board

Hang a small chalk board in your kid’s room and start a ‘one day, one word’ rule to learn difficult spellings. Write a new word on the chalk board every day and use colored chalks to highlight the silent letters and confusing parts of the words such as ‘ie’, ‘ei’ etc.

  • Prepare A List

Help your child to prepare a list of words that he finds difficult to spell. New words may be added every day and let him revise what he has already learned. Set new goals with your child each day and help him to achieve them. Have discussions about new words, make sentences and link them with hints to improve his memory.

  • Spelling And Vocabulary Quick Reference Guide

This guide helps the child to understand the word patterns in a better way. It features a number of commonly misspelled words and a list of homophones with their meanings. The guide also contains information about nouns, pronouns, verbs etc. which helps the child to develop a rich vocabulary and lower his spelling mistakes.

See-N-Spell™ is a spelling and vocabulary reference booklet offered by See-N-Read® Reading Tools. It can help to improve academic vocabulary and reduce misspelling. For more information about the reading tool, you can go to or call at (630) 236 – 5592.

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Tips To Improve Your Online Reading Skills

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Reading is a great activity that not only enhances knowledge and uplifts mood but also improves concentration. People who start reading at an early age develop analytical thinking skills that greatly helps their decision making abilities later in life. It also helps to improve vocabulary and enables readers to gain a better understanding about the topic.

Nowadays, the internet has brought the library into our pockets. You can scroll through a list of e-books by any writer in a variety of genres. However, there are certain people who may face difficulty while reading online, such as eye strain, screen glace, word/line skipping etc. Listed below are some tips which can help to improve your online reading skills:

  • Use tricks, save time: For a faster reading, you can practice skimming and note making techniques. Skimming provides a clear idea about the topic so you know what exactly is being discussed. On the other hand, note making involves segregating important information that is required for an in-depth reading. Both these techniques save time and enhance the reading skills.
  • Adjust the screen: In order to get a better view and reduce fatigue while reading, you can adjust the computer screen parallel to the eye level. You can also change the screen brightness according to the lighting conditions in your room. This can help to provide a comfortable reading experience and improve your fluency as well as concentration.
  • Do not disturb: The setting of your room should be such that you can minimize the distractions and noises. Effective reading can be done in tranquility so that you do not lose your focus. It will help to enhance your concentration.
  • Block the ads: Change your settings to block the pop-ups. These are ads that can be quite distracting while reading. You can also download some apps that will permanently block these pop-ups.
  • Use reading tools: There are various tools available which can be used to improve on-screen reading speed and minimize distractions. The reading strip provided in these tools help to prevent word-line skipping and reduce screen glare as well as eye strain.
  • Regular Practice: It is important to practice on a regular basis as it will help you comprehend and read faster online. Consider reading on topics that you find interesting to avoid getting bored. This will help to improve both your reading fluency and speed. You can take online comprehension tests to keep a track of your progress. It can motivate you to improve further.

If you are fond of reading online, these tips can surely help to make your reading experience enjoyable.

See-N-Read Reading Tools can help to improve your online reading skills and fluency. For more information, you can call at (630) 236 – 5592.

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Why Some Children Have Difficulties Learning To Read

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If your child has problem in reading, it can not only affect his academic performance but also lower his self-confidence. It is necessary to understand the cause behind the reading difficulties in kids to figure out ways to overcome them and improve reading skills.

Here are a few reasons which can cause difficulties in reading among children:

  • Dyslexia: This is one of the most common learning disabilities. Kids with Dyslexia face difficulty in recognizing letters and the sounds associated with them. They may often forget words which have been learned recently. It may take a long time to become familiar with the commonly used words. Dyslexia can also affect the comprehension skills of the kids.
  • Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): It is a condition which impacts the focusing ability of kids. Poor concentration can cause hindrance while reading. If the mind is distracted, the kid may have trouble understanding the context of the reading material. This can not only lower down his reading speed but also affect learning ability.
  • APD (Auditory Processing Disorder): Kids suffering from this condition have trouble processing the information they listen. They have a hard time differentiating between alphabets that have similar sounds, which can make it difficult to read aloud. Thus, this can be another issue why some children have problems learning to read.
  • Visual processing issues: In this disorder, kids are not able to distinguish between the letters. They may have blurred vision which can cause hindrance in reading. Having visual processing issues can affect the learning abilities of the child to a great extent.
  • Reading failure since childhood: Kids who face learning difficulties early in childhood often have a tough time later on. They may not be able to match up with their peers. It is important to diagnose the learning disability at an early stage and use appropriate tools that can improve reading.
  • Autism: Learning basic reading and writing skills can be difficult for a child suffering from Autism. It can also affect his academic performance. Parents and teachers should pay special attention to these kids and devise strategies to help them learn in a better way.

There are various reading improvement and fluency intervention tools which can help the children suffering from these conditions.

See-N-Read Reading Tools can help to overcome learning difficulties among people of all age groups. The research based products are designed to improve reading skills. For more information, you can call at (630) 236 – 5592.