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Improve Reading Skill

Reading Strips: A Solution for Common Reading Difficulties

Reading strips are a simple yet effective solution designed to help individuals overcome common challenges, improving focus and comprehension. These tools enhance visual tracking, minimize distractions, and make reading smoother for people of all ages, leading to greater confidence and a love for learning.

The following are some benefits of using reading strips to overcome reading difficulties:

Enhances Visual Tracking – One of the primary benefits of reading strips is their ability to assist with visual tracking. By highlighting one line of text at a time, reading strips guide the eyes smoothly across the page, reducing the chances of skipping lines or rereading the same text. This focused approach helps readers stay on track and maintain a steady flow, which is beneficial for those who struggle with following dense or closely spaced text.

Improves Focus – Enhanced focus and visual guidance result in improved comprehension. When distractions are minimized and the reading flow is consistent, readers can concentrate better on understanding the material. By narrowing the visual field, these tools support better focus, especially for individuals who find it difficult to stay attentive while reading lengthy passages.

Boosts Comprehension – Improved focus and visual guidance lead to better comprehension. When distractions are reduced and the reading flow is steady, readers can dedicate their attention to understanding the material. This makes reading strips an effective tool for improving comprehension, especially for students or individuals working through complex texts.

Reduces Eye Strain – Extended reading sessions with small fonts or overwhelming blocks of text can lead to eye strain. Reading strips ease this strain by simplifying the reading process. By providing a clear, highlighted path, they reduce the effort required to track and process text, making reading less tiring and more comfortable over time.

Supports All Age Groups – Reading strips are versatile tools that cater to a wide range of age groups. Young children learning to read can use them to build focus and accuracy, while older students and adults can rely on them to manage specific reading difficulties. Their simplicity and effectiveness make them suitable for readers at all levels, addressing diverse needs without requiring specialized training.

Portable and Easy to Use – The convenience of reading strips adds to their appeal. Lightweight and compact, they can be easily carried to school, work, or any other location where reading is required. Their design makes them user-friendly, requiring no prior setup or adjustments. This portability ensures that readers can access support whenever and wherever they need it.

For more information about reading strips for simplifying reading, visit 2533 Sutton Lane, Aurora, IL 60502-9461, or call 1-630-236-5592. You can also browse the reading tools at www.see-n-read.com or connect on Facebook.

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.

Improve Reading Comprehension

Dyslexia vs. Struggling to Read Correctly

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Kids struggle with reading for a variety of reasons, from difficulties with processing to attention issues like ADHD that prevent a child from truly focusing on the task at hand. Understanding which issue is triggering the difficulty can help you come up with strategies that help the struggling reader succeed and make the most of their abilities.

If you suspect that a disability like dyslexia is involved, it is important to encourage the child’s family to seek out an evaluation by a professional. If diagnosed, specific strategies designed to help people with this condition can be incorporated into your teaching and routine. Since dyslexia impacts performance in a variety of ways, a reader with this condition may not improve with the strategies you’d typically use.

Learning more about dyslexia can help you to aid a struggling reader in the classroom and at home.

What is Dyslexia?

More than just a simple reversal of letters or numbers, dyslexia is a brain based issue that causes a child to wrestle with spelling, writing, reading and even speaking. With this condition, students strain to process or identify some types of information, from identifying letter sounds or the actual symbols to understanding blends and comprehending what they are reading.

Dyslexia can’t be outgrown or cured, but accommodations can be made via an IEP (individualized education plan) to help students with this condition. Some states have laws designed to protect students with dyslexia that offer more than the Federal IDEA law and can be used to assist students diagnosed with this learning disability.

Signs of Dyslexia

  • The most well-known symptom is letter reversal
  • Above-average difficulty pairing letters with sounds or matching sounds to letters
  • Switching beginning sounds when pronouncing words or phrases, like using “mawn lower” in place of “lawn mower” in conversation
  • Trouble reading aloud or grouping phrases or words
  • Inability or difficulty with sounding out new words
  • Difficulties with handwriting or getting letters in the wrong order when writing
  • Trouble with rhymes and rhyming words

Learning How to Read vs Dyslexia

A child who is wrestling with a new concept or process will likely learn it eventually; a child with dyslexia may not unless strategies designed to particularly target that condition are used. As a child with dyslexia works and struggles to process and comprehend words, his inability to pair letters with sounds or sounds with letters stands in the way of improvement.

Getting Help for a Struggling Reader

One of the most difficult things about helping readers is determining which kids are simply in the process of discovering new concepts and/or finding their best learning style and which children are actually coping with a disability or condition that impacts the way that they learn.

Providing support for a developing reader is an ideal first step, with strategies designed to engage and help a new reader “get it”. Simple changes like reading aloud each day and incorporating a research-based tool such as the See-N-Read® reading strip to isolate specific text without hiding the rest of the passage can help the developing reader succeed and may have a positive impact on the child with dyslexia.

If traditional, tried and true strategies are simply not working and the child is working hard but making little progress, it may be time to look at the possibility of a learning disability like dyslexia. Diagnosis of a condition like this will not only make it easier for the child to learn in a supportive environment, it will provide key protections and opportunities under IDEA and any dyslexia-specific state laws.

Understanding the signs of dyslexia and why some kids cannot improve without specific strategies and intervention can enable teachers to help struggling readers succeed. Learning more about “invisible” disabilities like dyslexia provides teachers with more tools to ensure success and help those students who are struggling with reading to succeed.

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.

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 Reading Comprehension, Improve Reading Skill

How To Improve Reading Speed And Comprehension

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Reading fluency is an essential skill which can be inculcated by using various techniques. It can not only help you comprehend information, but also manage time in a better way. Whether you are a student or professional, having good reading skills can be beneficial for you in the long run.  

Here are a few techniques which can improve reading speed and comprehension:

  • Skim material for main ideas: You should scan the outline of the content to get an idea about the information. This will give you a clear picture about the topics that you can skip and those that require more concentration. Understanding the structure of the content can help to improve reading speed.
  • Prioritize your reading: It is essential to categorize the reading material in order of its significance. This can make you aware about the most important aspects and read accordingly.
  • Choose a suitable environment: Reading in a peaceful place without any distractions improves concentration. It is important to set an angle while reading to avoid eye strain and ensure a comfortable reading experience.
  • Improve vocabulary: Improving vocabulary can reduce the time taken to understand a topic. You can maintain a notebook to jot down unfamiliar words as it can help you read faster.
     Reading with a fresh mind:  It is essential to stay focused while reading. You can read preferably in the morning or late at night as the mind is free from distractions at that time.
  • Form questions: You can create questions from the headings given in the reading material. This can help in analyzing the information in a better way. Thus, you will be to read efficiently in a lesser time.
  • Practice: Regular practice can help you comprehend and read faster. Initially you can start with the reading material that you find interesting. This will help in creating a good reading habit.    
  • Eliminate sub vocalization: The habit of sub vocalization (uttering words while reading) can have a great impact on your reading. It can lower down your reading speed and fluency. Thus, sub vocalization should be avoided for better results.
  • Keep a track on your progress: It is a good idea to take a self-test at frequent intervals to keep a check on your reading speed. This can keep you on the right track and provide motivation for further improvement.

See-N-Read Reading Tools aim at improving reading speed and comprehension. The research based tools have been designed to help people of all ages read faster while reducing distractions on the page. For more information, you can call at (630) 236 – 5592.

blog, Fluency Interventions

Fluency Interventions: Tips For Teachers

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Fluency is one of the most critical components required for an efficient reading. It not only refers to the ability to read quickly, but also accurately and with the right expression. A fluent reader can easily comprehend the content being read and remember it for a longer period of time. Therefore, reading fluency is important for a child’s academic success.

Here are some fluency intervention tips to help teachers develop reading skills in children:

  • Model Fluent Reading: Teachers must read aloud to the students to make them familiar with the concept of fluent reading. Choose a small and easy paragraph, read at a normal pace, with the right tone to match the words in the content. Read a wide range of genres, including poetry, fiction, fairy tales etc. so that they can identify the difference in speech. You can also make them read a book while listening to its audio version at the same time.  
  • Do Repeated Readings: Allow students to practice the skill by reading the same paragraph again and again. If they are taking longer than usual or are not able to pronounce any word correctly, read it aloud and let them repeat after you. Encourage them to do repeated readings till they attain the desired level of fluency. You can also organize group readings to boost participation and reduce students’ apprehension about making a mistake.
  • Echo Read: It includes reading to the students and making them read back to you simultaneously. This technique will help them recognize the sound and expression of words in the context. By having the printed version of the text you are reading, they will identify the words and add them to their vocabulary. Start by making them echo a small phrase repeatedly before moving to a sentence or a paragraph
  • Promote Phrased Reading: Fluency involves reading information in phrases, rather than word by word. Hence, students must be taught to segregate the content into small but meaningful phrases so that they can understand it easily. They must also be made familiar with the usage and importance of punctuation marks at relevant places throughout the text.

See-N-Read Reading Tools can help to improve reading fluency in students of different ages. The fluency intervention tools help to improve concentration and filter on-page distractions to avoid skipping words/lines while reading. For more information about the reading tools, you can call at (630) 236 – 5592.

blog, Reading Strips

The Benefits Of Reading Strips For Students

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When reading any given content, our eyes must make small stops after a few words along the sentence. However, struggling readers tend to make many more stops, thereby, reducing their reading speed and inhibiting comprehension.  Contrasting font and background colors can make it difficult for them to focus and track smooth line transitions. Reading strips are practical assistive tools that can help students to better visualize, concentrate and retain the information they read. They are usually a ruler sized strips with a transparent shaded cut-out window that is placed over the text being read.

See-N-Read Reading Tools are research based and classroom tested products designed to improve reading skills for children of all age groups. The reading strip helps students to control their eye movements while reading and avoiding problems like skipping words and sentences, repeatedly reading same sentences, losing concentration, swapping letters and reading too close to the page.

How Do Reading Strips Work?

Place the reading strip, ReadBar™, on the page and read the sentence through the cut-out window. Move the strip down the page as you read to maintain concentration and track upcoming information. The transparent shaded portion filters out distractions without blocking the entire reading context.

The reading strips offered by See-N-Read Reading Tools can be easily used with all types of reading material. The ReadBar™ fits almost all commonly used font sizes. The tool is also available for on-screen reading of documents, spreadsheets and standardized tests. The reading strip comes in two different sizes – Book (to be used with small books) and Document (to be used with large books and printed documents).

Benefits Of Reading Strips

  • The clear reading strip helps the readers to keep their eyes focused on a single sentence to control visual field.
  • It controls eye movement for a smooth transition from left to right and top to bottom, without losing place while changing lines.
  • The reading strip also supports chunking reading strategy, allowing the readers to view the content in larger ‘chunks’ for better comprehension and information retention.
  • Having a controlled visual field helps to reduce pattern glare, prevent word or line skipping and increase reading speed as well as fluency.

For more information about the benefits of reading strips offered by See-N-Read Reading Tools, feel free to call at (630) 236 – 5592 or visit 2533 Sutton Lane, Aurora, IL 60502.

Improve Reading Skill

Tips To Improve Reading Skills In Young Children

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Good reading skills are important elements of every child’s academic achievement. Without them, the children would not be able to understand what they read, leading to a decrease in self-confidence and lack of interest in studies. It is essential that these skills are nurtured during the learning years so that they are able to develop a love of reading.

Here are some tips that can help to improve reading skills in young children:

  • Reading Interesting Content: If a child has interest in the type of content being read, he is more likely to stay attentive and be motivated to comprehend the information. The more he reads, the better he will be at drawing inferences and retaining the content for a longer span of time.
  • Reading material according to capacity: The content being read must be suitable for the intellectual level of the child, or may be a little difficult. Going through extremely tough concepts or frequently looking up the dictionary for meaning of unknown words can be tedious. Staying within his comfort zone will boost his interest and prepare him to take on more difficult content later on.
  • Preview the text: Before starting to read, let the child scan the entire contents and sub sections to get an idea of what the text is all about. Ask him to go through the pictures, side notes and questions at the end of the chapter. This will help him identify the content that is important and needs more concentration.
  • Segregate content into chunks: While reading, make sure you stop the child after each paragraph to assess if he has understood it completely. Stop after a reading a chunk of text, ask him to summarize its important points, make notes, find the main idea and predict what would occur next. This will help to develop inference skills and recognize his problem areas.
  • Repeated Reading: Reading any content again and again can help to develop fluency and understanding of the context. Make the child start reading with the sections that were slightly difficult or those he found to be more complicated. Repeated reading will lead to increased accuracy, self-correction and better pronunciations.

See-N-Read Reading Tools are research based products aimed at improving the reading skills of children of different age groups. The reading tools help children accurately interpret contextual cues for better comprehension and retention. For more information, you can call us at (630) 236 – 5592 or visit 2533 Sutton Lane, Aurora, IL 60502.

Reading Tools

How To Increase Your Reading Speed

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Reading is an invaluable skill that helps in most spheres of life including academics, business and leisure. However, it can be quite tedious and time consuming if your reading speed is slower than average. While an average individual reads almost 200 to 250 words per minute, the pace may also depend upon the material and purpose of reading. Along with the speed, it is equally important that you understand the information that is being read.

Here are a few tips that can help to improve your reading speed:

  • Read With A Fresh Mind: It takes a lot of practice and concentration to improve your reading speed. Thus, it is better to develop a habit of reading when your mind is fresh and least distracted, preferably early in the morning. You must schedule your most important reading tasks for this time of the day.
  • Skim Reading Material: Before starting with the actual reading material, you must go through it briefly and scan the outline of the content. This will give you an idea about what is important, which part you can skip and which you need to read with more concentration. Skimming will also prepare your mind to better comprehend the content to be read. When you understand the structure and idea of the content, your reading speed is likely to improve.
  • Categorize Reading Material: Dividing the content into three different categories, namely important, moderately important and least important, can help to improve your reading speed. You should start over with the least important bit first, by just scanning it quickly without pressuring your mind. Then, you should move on to the most important content and read it with utmost concentration and attention. Finally, you should keep the moderately important content for the last to relax your mind after handling the complex information.
  • Set A Reading Environment: The environment in which you read, your physical posture, the angle at which you hold the book and other such factors can also influence your reading speed. As far as possible, you should try to read in natural light, as it tends to stimulate alertness. The place should be well lit and there should be no distractions, specifically while reading complex material.

See-N-Read Reading Tools are research-based products aimed at improving reading speed. The tools have been designed to help people of all ages overcome reading, writing and study skills deficiencies. For more information, you can call at (630) 236 – 5592.