I was just talking with a mom about her daughter who struggles with her reading homework each night. She remarked that her daughter loves when her parents read to her, but there are tears when they ask her to read out loud. This is quite common because reading out loud is one of the most stressful activities a child with reading difficulties is asked to do. An excellent article about this is published by the International Dyslexia Association; “The Dyslexia-Stress-Anxiety Connection”. A must read for anybody with dyslexia or parent of a child that struggles with reading.
What to do?
Make reading time a special, bonding activity. Schedule a time when you are not in a hurry or tired. (Ok, I am a parent …. I saw the eye roll). Do the best you can finding a stress-free window! Just read out loud to your child and if they are open to it, ask them to follow the words as you read. If this is too much, don’t push it. Keep it safe and nurturing.
What if they have assignments they have to read?
Either read to them and have them follow along or find the book on audio. I’ve included a helpful article that gives great resources for this. I suggest this all the time, because the child can control the speed of narration, enjoy the voices of characters and read the words while she hears them. My daughter did this in high school, for her first time with an assigned reading, and her interest and enthusiasm for books sky-rocketed. And, yes, listening to books is still reading.
https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/childrens-books/articles/listen-and-learn-audiobooks
How do I approach my child’s teacher about this?
I always approach a teacher knowing that they have their hands full with multiple students and needs. However, this is your child’s education and you have every right to make sure he gets what he needs for support. If she has an IEP, just make sure that not reading out loud is in the accommodations. If not, or if your child does not want to be singled out, there are some great activities that can take place of this. 20 Ways to Adapt the Read Aloud in the Inclusive Classroom, at readingrockets.org has some great suggestions. This might even inspire your teacher to do this with the whole classroom.
Think of a situation that has happened in the past or coming up that is stressful for you. Does it put a pit in your stomach? Make your heart pound? Make you feel less than? This is what reading does to a child with dyslexia. Come to the situation with this in mind and how you want to ease their anxiety. You are a source of comfort and bring this to your child’s interaction with reading and writing.
