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10 Steps to a More Confident Reader
You can help your child be a more confident reader. It is very common for unmotivated readers to be struggling readers. Imagine…If it is hard to read, you probably won’t be very motivated to do it more. One way we can improve motivation in readers is to first build up their confidence. They need to first see themselves as readers.
Here are 10 steps to helping your child to be a more confident reader.
Be a role model and be excited about reading! Talk about books you’ve read, read in front of your kids and share any excitement about books and reading
Teach them about growth mindset. Use the word YET to help them see that even though they can’t do it “yet,” they can learn how. , Always try to meet them where they are.
Don’t overcorrect your child when you are reading with them. Instead, focus on your goal! Building confidence. You can work on accuracy later.
Take the pressure off reading at home. Think of the ways to practice reading that will take the pressure off. They can read to a pet, a younger sibling or a row of stuffies! You can let them read alone sometimes so that they aren’t fearing judgment. Let them listen to audiobooks and follow along in the text. You can do paired reading where you read a page and then they read a page or even having them read just a few words per page that they are confident with.
Play games and have fun! If your child is in a traditional school setting they are already working very hard on their reading skills. There are so many games you can play to practice reading skills. I have put together a Reading Games Booster pack with games that you can download and print today! Think outside the book! Reading can come in many forms and it all counts.
Make reading relevant to your child. Read about things your child is interested in or about places you’ll be visiting. Try out several different genres and topics until you find what gets your child excited to read. Holiday books, poetry, themed books, adventures, graphic novels, biographies – the list goes on. There are so many to try!
Be a safe place for your child to practice. As parents, we often want to push kids to reach their potential but it’s okay to let them read the book they are comfortable with. Even if they are reading it every day for weeks.
Give them as much choice and control as possible. Let them choose what, when and where to read! Maybe they want to read by the light of a flashlight or sitting outside under a tree. I even let my children get an extended bedtime if they are reading!
Make reading goals with your child. By working with your child to create goals they will develop more ownership in the goal and then pride in accomplishing their goal. Encourage your child to create a reading goal for themselves.
Use a reading incentive chart! My 3 step reading reward system is a quick and simple way to start helping your child see themselves as a reader. Each time they add a sticker to their chart they are getting closer to an incentive that they set for themselves.
