How You Can Build a Better Reader...Starting
Today
By Sabra Gelfond-Ingall, M.A., CCC-SLP
Learning to read begins when a child first hears
spoken words. The sounds of our language form early patterns children
use to speak and eventually, to read. For children to learn to read
successfully, they must start with a strong foundation of sound
awareness and build on it by incorporating more difficult, abstract
skills.
You can compare the process of learning to read to building a house.
A well-built structure requires a strong foundation or the underlying
weakness will cause problems over time. The same is true in "building"
a better reader.
Without the right foundational skills, learning to read can
be very difficult. For some children reading comes easily because
underlying skills develop properly, but for the children with weak
skills, reading difficulties become evident as early as grades 1-3
and can remain for life.
Foundational skills are critical for your child's reading development.
In most cases, parents know their child(ren) best. You can better
detect if your child is at risk for reading problems by understanding
the following stages of learning to read:
Laying the Foundation: Sound Awareness
In order to read, children must first understand that spoken language
(words) is made of individual sound segments (phonemes). Most children
acquire this phonemic awareness by the end of kindergarten or beginning
of first grade. For example, in "hat" the child must hear
three phonemes: /h/, /a/, and /t/. If the child has trouble processing
or segmenting these sounds, he or she will have trouble reading
fluently and learning to read itself will be a painstaking process.
Raising the Structure: Sounds Combined...Phonics
The next level of learning to read includes learning phonics (the
mechanics of sounds within words). Children need to learn and practice
fundamental principles blending sounds and associating sounds and
symbols. If phonemic awareness is weak there will be difficulties
here, too. Decoding and word recognition problems are typically
due to problems with phonemic awareness (linking speech sounds to
letters.)
Additionally, children must understand that spoken language is
represented by letters put together to make the words we speak.
In typical development, children point to road signs, labels, and
familiar words, and associate sounds with them. This is critical
to build on a solid reading foundation.
Finish the House: Become Automatic
Children also develop accuracy and fluency to set the stage for
enhanced comprehension. It's not enough to have phonemic awareness
and understand phonics. He or she must practice until enough recognition,
speed, and an automatic approach to reading develops. For some children
this step will take longer than for others, but for those with weak
auditory processing skills it will be almost impossible.
Enjoy the Finished Home: Gain Comprehension
Finally, children develop comprehension skills, the real reason
for reading. Comprehension needs to be fostered. At this step, parents
should encourage their child to talk about what she reads and help
her with abstract information (how or why something happens). This
goes beyond simple recitation of the facts.
This can even be accomplished with a very young child. Over time,
imagination and a desire to learn more will be ingrained that can
only be satisfied through a lifetime of reading.
The process of reading is a continuum with more difficult, abstract
skills building on the basic ones. Once foundational skills are
firmly in place, we can comfortably build the infrastructure, knowing
we are building on solid ground and solving problems before they
begin.
Building Better Readers is a Process
Many parents and teachers put off assessing a child's reading difficulties
because they believe the problem will be outgrown. This simply is
untrue. Studies have consistently shown that children who read poorly
in early years continue to exhibit reading difficulties throughout
high school and beyond without appropriate intervention.
Parents are key to getting children on the right track to reading.
Remain alert to your child's reading struggles and potential. This
helps you know when to seek professional help. Many reading difficulties
can be identified in kindergarten or 1st grade. While it is true
that the earlier a child's auditory difficulties are identified
the easier it will be to correct them, even older students with
long-standing auditory processing problems who read poorly can be
helped, so never give up hope! If you suspect your child is having
difficulties, contact a professional for appropriate testing and
a consultation today.
Sabra Gelfond-Ingall has worked
extensively with children who have speech, language, behavior, and
reading disorders. Ms. Ingall is a Speech-Language Pathologist who
has been the Executive Director of National Speech/Language Therapy
Center since 1989 and has been featured in the Washington Post,
on National Public Radio, and in professional journals. She is also
the Director of Educational Services for Learning Rx-Metro DC.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Reading problems/dyslexia
screenings and a complete cognitive skills test are essential first
steps to getting a struggling reader on track. LearningRx Training
Centers offer screenings and affordable testing packages to parents
seeking to help their children. Please call your local LearningRx
professional or visit www.learningrx.com
for information you can use today.
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