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Increase Reading Skills

Memory Improvement Techniques For Dyslexic Kids

Dyslexic kids are big picture thinkers and less adept to processing and remembering what they learn. However, a little tweaking in their style of learning can make a huge difference towards improving their memory. Let’s take a look at some strategies that can be followed to improve the memory of dyslexic kids.

  • Imagination And Association

Kids love stories. So why not put stories to build up their memory skills. This memory improvement technique works great when it comes to dyslexic kids. Help them remember information by making a story out of it. Encourage the child to create and visualize information to improve chances of retaining it. However, it is important for the story to be interesting and short. This technique uses imagination and association of one item with another in order to create a link that’s easy to remember.

  • Remembering Names

Remembering names can be tough for dyslexic kids. However, it can be made easy by using simple memory tricks like associating the name with someone or something they like.

Repetition makes a world of difference when it comes to retaining information. A child should repeat the name to be memorized quite often and even visualize meeting the person. This can also help them break down the name into small fragments and make sense out of it. Choose whatever works best for your child and be open to mixing up different techniques if need be.

  • The Vowel Technique

Focusing on vowels is another technique by which kids can get better at spellings. Most spelling mistakes arise due to wrong placement of vowels. Make vowels distinctive and memorable for dyslexic kids by telling them to visualize vowels as human characters and place them in words accordingly.

  • To Do Lists And Alarms

Fixing to do lists at conspicuous places at home or school and setting alarms for dyslexic kids helps them remember important things during the course of day.

  • Remembering Words

The best way to help a dyslexic kid remember short and long words is by being patient and encouraging them to open up their imagination as much as possible. Let your child associate a word with any funny character or image. Anything that helps a child make the word distinctive is helpful.

Chunking the words is also a great method of making it easier to memorize longer words. A child can break up a long word into smaller chunks of words that are easier to remember and connect into the larger one.

 

  • Word And Mathematical Games

Memory games, crosswords, scrabble and other mind stimulating games are highly recommended for memory improvement in dyslexic kids.

Conclusion

The main trick about memory techniques for dyslexic kids is making things as distinctive as possible. All techniques merge into this single point. If your child is successful at making something distinctive in his mind, he is halfway there. A little more repetition, practice and patience will help in retaining information better.

We, at See-N-Read Reading Tools offer a variety of tools to improve your child’s memory skills. For more information, call at (630) 236 – 5592.

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How To Help Your Dyslexic Child At Home

Dyslexic children often find it difficult to read, write and spell words. With the right guidance and patience, both at school and home, dyslexic kids can excel at whatever they do. Just toggling learning methods that suit your child’s intellect can have profound results.

Here are some ways in which parents can contribute towards helping dyslexic children.

  1. Read To Your Child

30 minutes every day, is all what you need to sharpen a dyslexic child’s literacy skills. Incorporating reading habits early in life and being consistent will help a dyslexic child gain many skills. A reading session should be something your child looks forward to. Keep it interesting and make it enjoyable. Aid your child’s tracking skills by running your finger on the words as you read. Opt for books with lots of illustrations and a simple story.        

  1. Structure

Design a routine for your child to follow when once they come back from school. Encourage them to work on a dedicated table that has all the stationery and books pre-set to avoid wasting time in finding these items. Incorporate an element of fun in your child’s daily schedule. This is something they will look forward to.

  1. Support With Writing

Kids with dyslexia take a lot of time in writing. Be patient and help your children with their homework. Gently correct mistakes and spellings as they appear. If your child uses pens to write, get them erasable pens. It will make their life easier. Take frequent breaks and never cease to praise your child’s efforts. Parental support and undying patience is the key to instill the much needed confidence in your child.

  1. Indulge In Activities Of Interest

Set aside some time exclusively for what your child loves to do. It could be dancing, listening to music, playing with a pet, pursuing a hobby and so on. Indulging in an activity that your child loves is necessary for boosting their self-esteem and making them feel great about something.

  1. Realistic Goals

Setting realistic goals as a parent, keeps you and your child relaxed. Set achievable goals of how much you and your child can read and write together each day. With the completion of each small goal, you are on your way to success. Celebrate every small success and be consistent with your efforts.

  1. Focus On Your Child’s Strengths

Look at the big picture when dealing with dyslexia. Life is not confined to reading and writing only. There’s a lot more to life. Focus on what your child does best. Your child could be great at athletics, painting, gardening etc. Noticing and appreciating your child’s strengths can make them feel loved, accepted and special. Never miss a chance to point out their strengths.

We, at See-N-Read Reading Tools offer a variety of reading tools to improve your child’s reading skills. For more information, call at (630) 236 – 5592.

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Reading Tips For Dyslexic Children

When it comes to dyslexia, it is always better to focus on polishing the reading skills as early as possible. It is important to consult a paediatrician on suspecting signs of dyslexia. Intervention at an early stage and the right form of treatment go a long way in helping your child overcome any obstacles in his reading. Be proactive and immediately start incorporating baby steps towards your child’s development and confidence.

There are screening tests available like the Shaywitz DyslexiaScreen that can be conducted by a teacher in kindergarten or first class. It helps parents detect Dyslexia at an early stage and act accordingly. Dyslexic children do learn to read, but they take some time. So, parents and teachers should not give up on them. The support and patience of an adult is something that helps them throughout.

Here are some tips to help a dyslexic child become an avid reader one day:

Practice

Make your child read every day. Make it a bed time ritual. The more they practice, the stronger the brain neural circuits related to reading become. Encourage your child to read a simple book aloud to you. This will improve their accuracy and confidence in speaking. With time, it will be easier for your child to read easy words from their memory and they would try to decode new words. It takes time and patience, but it is all worth the effort in the long term.

New Words

Find opportunities to introduce your child to as many new words as possible. The higher the number of words in your child’s memory, the better he will get at reading. Here are some things that can help you in adding words to your child’s vocabulary:

  • Listening to children’s audio books
  • Watching documentaries together
  • Reading to your child
  • Keeping a word journal
  • Playing word games like Pictionary.

Point out new words to your child and encourage them to speak it aloud.

Syllabication

Syllabication refers to breaking big words into smaller chunks called syllables while reading. Consult your child’s teacher for relevant teaching material. You can also do some research on the internet regarding syllabication rules. With time, your child will become better at tackling long words and sentences by breaking them down into readable portions.

Plan B

Encourage your child to have a backup plan just in case he cannot remember a word. If he can’t remember a long word, he should confidently replace it with a smaller word. Encourage him to use web-based dictionaries to work on pronunciation skills and learn a variety of words that he can use as replacements in case of occasional memory loss.

Extra Care And Attention

 Dyslexic kids should be given headphones in the class so that they can read without distractions. During tests, they should be given extra time. They should be encouraged to write journals, send emails, have a study buddy to sit with in class etc. These extra gestures and activities will have a phenomenal effect on making them better at both reading and writing.

See-N-Read Reading Tools can help to increase your child’s reading skills and combat dyslexia. To know more about the reading tools and their benefits, call at (630) 236 – 5592.

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Ways To Improve Reading Skills Of A Child With Dyslexia

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Dyslexia refers to a reading difficulty, which does not spring from neurological, sensory or intellectual problems in the child. The child develops an impaired phonological representation for words. There are many ways in which parents and teachers of such children can help them regain their confidence and improve their reading and comprehension skills. Let’s take a look:

  • Read Aloud- Reading out loud to a dyslexic child can have a profound effect on his decoding and comprehension capabilities. It can motivate the child to delve deeper into bigger books in contrast with the smaller ones he struggles to read. This will inevitably boost his confidence.
  • Support- When parents and teachers join hands to help a child, deep down the child develops the zeal to fight on. It is important to highlight positives in the child and at the same time be very open about where he stands academically and what sort of help he will need. This creates a team spirit and in turn motivates the child, as he does not feel alone at all.
  • Slow Reading- Dyslexics should not be pressurized to read as fast as other kids. More important than the speed is the accuracy with which they read. Teach him strategies like memorizing what he has read and focus on his talents too. This way he will be able to navigate the world better as an adult.
  • Baby Steps- It is very important to go at a pace that feels comfortable for your child. Small tiny steps in the right direction go a long way. There is a plethora of simple activities that can boost your child’s language and reading skills. You can sit with your child as he reads out aloud and help with difficult words. Bedtime reading is a good way to incorporate this.
  • Acceptance- Dyslexia is not a learning disorder that a child will outgrow. Reassure your child that it is in no way going to affect your child success and reading abilities later in life. Teach him how to go about dyslexia by first accepting the issue, and then not hesitating to ask for help as and when needed.

Expose your child to various resources such as reading tools that can help to boost his confidence at learning and being successful.

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Terms To Know If Your Child Struggles With Reading

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If your child is a struggling reader or suffers from Dyslexia, there are a lot of things that you can do to help him overcome this difficulty. Some of the common signs of reading difficulties include: problems in manipulating sounds in words, issues with rhyming, inability to recognize words with the same sound, difficulty in memorizing letters/number/ symbols etc.
Below is a list of certain terms that you need to be aware if your child struggles with reading or displays symptoms of Dyslexia:

  • Multisensory Structured Language Education (MSSL): This approach utilizes visual, auditory, and kinesthetic senses to enhance reading and spelling capabilities. MSSL is used by trained teachers and focuses on developing links between sight (language we see), sound (language we hear), motion and touch (language symbols we feel). Students are given extensive practice sessions for reading, writing and listening the basic elements of their language.
  • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Children affected by ADHD are believed to have a slight abnormality in the way their brain functions. The symptoms displayed by children suffering from ADHD include: impulsive behavior, increased distraction and clumsiness among others.
  • Decoding: It is defined as the ability to sound out letters and words by forming letter-sound relationships. This happens when a child understands that a certain letter is associated with a particular sound. Another term used for decoding is “word attack”.
  • Phonics: It is a method to help children develop reading and writing skills by using phonemic awareness. This simply means that the readers are taught to decode new written words by sounding them out. There are different phonic approaches that are specific to a particular country.
  • Phonemic Awareness: Readers with phonemic awareness are easily able to distinguish different sounds in spoken words. This helps in putting together a specific word (phonemic blending) or breaking it into different phonemes (phonemic segmentation).
  • Fluency: The ability to read words and sentences smoothly without any breaks or stops is termed as fluency. When a reader is fluent, he can focus on understanding the meaning of sentences rather than trying to decode every word. Fluency is an important characteristic for enhanced reading comprehension.
  • Phonological Processing: The ability to differentiate between various sounds within words is known as phonological processing. Children weak in phonological processing often leave out important sounds in a word or replace certain sounds for others.
  • Word Recognition: It is important to have word recognition skills in order to become a fluent reader. Word recognition involves reading words by just seeing them without sounding them out.

Since parents of children with reading disorders often receive advice from all quarters, it is important to understand the above listed terms related to this issue. For tips on improving reading skills in your child, visit http://www.see-n-read.com/

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Eye Tracking And Reading Comprehension

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Eye tracking problems in children can be detected at an early stage if parents and teachers monitor their reading skills. If your child is not able to read the words in the correct order, omits or adds his own words and reads very slowly, he is most likely suffering from eye tracking issue. Poor visual skills can eventually hamper reading comprehension as the child is unable to understand the meaning of sentences while reading on his own.

Steps that can improve eye tracking and consequently develop better comprehension skills:

  • Utilize Reading Strips: One of the best tools that can be used to improve eye tracking is reading strips. These strips have a clear as well as translucent window which allows a person to read without distraction and also improves their hand-eye coordination. Continuous use of reading strips promotes fluency and increases reading comprehension skills.
  • Read Aloud: Another important exercise that can improve eye tracking is reading aloud. Ask your child to speak out instead of reading quietly. This practice coaxes the eyes and brain to work together. This leads to increased concentration and enhanced reading skills. However, reading aloud needs to be done on a regular basis in order to get the best results.
  • Perform Visual Tracking Activities: In order to improve the eye tracking skills of your child you may ask him to practice some simple techniques at home. For instance, you may encourage the child to keep staring at a single object without making any eye movement. This will help you to evaluate the time he is able to concentrate without any disruption. Adding similar exercises in your child’s daily routine can bring in positive results.
  • Vision Therapy: This therapy helps to resolve problems associated with reading, learning and comprehension. Designed according to individual requirements, these techniques involve vision exercises that change the way a child processes visual information. Vision therapy needs to be performed consistently so as to bring out best outcome.

In addition to the above mentioned tools, there are many other activities that can enhance eye tracking skills in kids. These include drawing or painting pictures, solving puzzles and mazes, performing dot-to-dot pictures, etc. You can sit with your child and see how well he manages to perform these activities. Be patient and help him wherever you can to build his confidence.

See-N-Read Reading Tools help to improve comprehension skills in children. For further details about the reading tools, visit http://www.see-n-read.com/ or call at (630) 236 – 5592.

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Dyslexia And Reading Problems

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Kids with dyslexia face problems in reading correctly and effortlessly. They also find difficult to spell, write and comprehend words. However, patience and perseverance on the part of parents as well as teachers is the key to helping a child overcome and manage this disability.

Listed below are some more signs associated with dyslexia.

  • Difficulty in understanding word problems in Math
  • Trouble in recognizing common sight words
  • Inability to identify letters and matching them with sounds
  • Frequently re-reading words and sentences

In order to help your child get over his reading problems, there are a number of steps that can be taken. Some of these are listed below:

  • Use Reading Tools: An easy and effective way of helping children with dyslexia is to make use of reading tools. These can help in development of reading, spelling and writing skills. A series of structured exercises and reading activities can also be designed to help kids see reading as a fun activity.
  • Set Realistic Goals: Improvement in reading skills happens over a period of time and it is important to take small steps. For instance, you can set a reading practice target for your kid daily or make him read a specific number of books in a month. These short term goals can help you to cover the long journey and make your child a better reader.
  • Don’t Let Poor Spellings Affect Your Child: Kids with dyslexia will have trouble coping with spelling tests. Teach your child to handle this difficulty and give him the freedom to express whatever he wants to convey. Use a dictionary or spell-check and help your child cope with poor spellings. You can even assist your child in making his own personal dictionary that can be referred to in case he spells a word incorrectly.
  • Read To Your Child: Children who struggle with reading issues need to be read to every day. You can read aloud to your child on a daily basis. This will help to improve his language skills apart from developing comprehension. Since a struggling reader focuses more on the pronunciation, he may not get the meaning of the text. But when you read aloud, the child gets a chance to focus on the word meanings. This eventually promotes creativity and helps a child to develop background knowledge.

 

See-N-Read Reading Tools can help to increase your child’s reading skills and combat dyslexia. To know more about the reading tools and their benefits, call at (630) 236 – 5592.

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Does Your Kid Skip Words Or Lines While Reading? Here’s Why

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A careful evaluation of your child’s reading skills is essential to know if he is facing any problems in this aspect. If you notice that he skips words or lines while reading, it may be more than just carelessness or disinterest. The actual reason behind this issue could be a visual processing problem such as poor eye tracking skills, Auditory processing disorder (APD), Dyslexia or even Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). These reading issues are explained below:

  • Visual Processing Issues: Kids have difficulty in reading words and lines in the correct order. Other signs include blurry or double vision.
  • Auditory Processing Disorder (APD): This disorder affects a kid’s ability to process the information he hears. Such a child is not able to follow a story being read by another person. Distinguishing between similar looking letters is also a troublesome task.
  • Dyslexia: Kids affected by Dyslexia have difficulty in recognizing letters and associating them with the sounds they make. They easily forget the words they have already learnt and may also skip words while reading.
  • Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): This condition makes it difficult for kids to focus while reading something. Such kids might also behave restlessly due to irritation.

However, there are a number of ways in which you can assist your child in taking his reading skills to a higher level. Some of these have been listed below:

  • Understand your child’s requirements: Firstly, it is essential to understand that your child has trouble with reading and requires help. Know in detail about his condition and gather as much information as you can. This will help you determine the best ways to increase his reading skills.
  • Read along together: It is crucial that you read along loudly with your child to help him improve his reading skills. It will also be a big confidence booster for him as he can practice reading without thinking about it as an impossible task.
  • Choose an interesting topic: If your child gets to read a topic of his interest, he is more likely to make extra effort. Encourage him to read anything he likes – be it books, comics, magazines or even websites. This can make reading a fun and exciting activity.
  • Utilize reading tools: There are some research-based physical reading tools that can be utilized to overcome your child’s reading problems. You may opt for reading strips or spell-checkers to assist your child in reading. There are also a number of online games that can make reading a fun activity for your kid.
  • Use audiobooks: You can get audiobooks from the local library or simply access them online. When a child listens to a book while looking at the words simultaneously, he can connect the words and sounds in a better way. This eventually helps in development of his reading skills.

See-N-Read Reading Tools have been specifically designed to increase reading skills in kids as well as adults. To know more about the reading tools, visit our website http://www.see-n-read.com/ or call at (630) 236 – 5592.

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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.

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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.