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How To Help Children With Reading Disorders

By Catalina Nielsen


Every child should have a good start in life. However, this is sometimes hampered by learning disabilities that come in various forms. This serious condition does not only affect early childhood, but may also affect the entire development and social life of the individual. Reading disorders should be addressed early so that they do not have major consequences.

Most people are quite aware of dyslexia. This is the difficulty in comprehension fluency, reading, and decoding words. It can come in various form depending on the child and the underlying cause. The affected individual is, however, not intellectually impaired, as this condition does not affect the IQ.

The second condition is Hyperlexia. This is a condition in which the individual can be described as having above average IQs with word-reading ability that is well beyond his/her age. This is more of a super ability in which the ability to recognize words goes beyond the expected levels. However, some Hyperlexics experience difficulties in understanding speech. The majority of those affected lie within the autism spectrum.

There are many theories that try to elucidate on approaches that can help children with learning disorders. This area has seen a lot of research to understand the underlying problems to help deal with the real situation. However, some of the suggestions still face controversies. Below are some simple steps that can help you assist a child with such a condition.

Word games have been proven quite helpful. Engaging the child in puzzles can be fun, but at the same time, it helps them learn. It may be a game, but it improves their vocabulary and they also become familiar with new words as they master the ones they use more often. Some of the games you can try include crossword puzzles, word bingo, Scrabble, and Boggle.

Reading aloud everyday has also shown success in some children. It is important to encourage the child to read labels, directions, and signs. This should be done everywhere including in the classroom, in the car, at home, and at stores or shops. They should take turns to read aloud with a parent, classmate, or sibling.

Choose something exiting. This will help engage them by capturing their attention. If they enjoy the experience of reading, you can expect that they will want to participate more often, which will increase learning opportunities.

Offer a lot of encouragement. It is not advisable to show anger or any negative emotions when the progress is slow. Instead, you should appreciate the little steps they are taking. Engage the child in discussion over what you have just read. Make them explain what they have understood so that they can apply the information.

Make the child listen to books. He/she may benefit from listening to textbooks. You can also use trade books, tapes or other recordings. It is also important to use assistive technologies such as screen readers to help them see the words.

Make bedtime reading a habit. This will stimulate their abilities and help develop language. You can use novels above their age to help develop creativity due to the high vocabulary level. Discuss each chapter with them to see what they understood.

Engage all the senses. This will ensure they can touch, see, hear, and speak the word. This is one of the best ways of addressing reading disorders.




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