We know reading is important, but exactly why should parents be quick to address reading issues the moment they are identified? Don’t all students learn at their own pace? It’s true that every student has his or her academic strengths and weaknesses, and may pick up some skills more quickly than others; however, if your elementary student is reading below grade level or receiving report card marks that indicate under-performance, taking action is imperative. Ignoring a reading deficiency can set the stage for struggles for the rest of the academic year and beyond.
When students struggle in reading, they become more inclined to avoid reading out of frustration and lack of confidence, and this will continue to limit their progress. A negative attitude toward reading can snowball into a lifelong aversion to reading, which can put your student at a significant disadvantage. Poor reading skills are likely to impede on an individual’s chances of scoring well on all areas of standardized tests.
In addition, reading skills aren’t confined to the elementary student’s reading lesson, nor will they be once your student enters middle school and high school. Mathematics, science, social studies and history all depend on reading skills like textual analysis and expository writing. The truth is that success in reading translates to greater success in all academic subjects.
So how can you provide your struggling reader with adequate help? Turn to a reading tutor. A reading tutor is the most effective way to successfully address a reader’s weakness in phonetics, fluency and comprehension. A reading tutor can conduct in-depth assessment of a reader’s abilities and provide individualized one-on-one instruction. Plus, at a well-respected tutoring service like The Huntington Learning Center, where our proven strategies have warranted success for over thirty-five years, parents are sure to see results quickly and students will gain new confidence in the classroom.
These are just some of the many ways parents may be able to identify their student as a struggling reader. For more information or resources, or to arrange for a reading tutor for your young reader, contact the Huntington Learning Center today by visiting our website or calling 1-800-CAN-LEARN.