Tips for Building a Child's Confidence in Reading

Ways to Increase Your Child's Reading Confidence

Nurturing Your Child's Self-Esteem

One of the most important things that your child needs to learn is a sense of self-esteem and confidence. Maintain a positive attitude towards your child's reading habits. It can be important to praise your child when progress is made, both in school and at home. The more faith your child has in his or her own abilities, the more he or she will be motivated to read. In this way, you can help your child get into a positive mindset.

Encouraging Reading at Home

Creating a calm, uncluttered reading area in your home can often be helpful. Set a good example by reading in this area yourself. Help your child choose books that are written at an appropriate reading level. If your child tries to read books that are too hard, he will struggle with the text and may lose confidence. You can help your child find appropriate books from grade-level reading lists provided by a number of libraries and websites.

Discuss the book your child's reading with him on a regular basis. Always be positive and maintain a sense of fun while you ask your child questions. Ask him about the various characters and encourage him to make predictions. If your child struggles to read on his own, sit down and read the book with him.

Increasing Your Child's Reading Comprehension

Vocabulary is integral to reading comprehension. Teach your child basic sight words, which can help her improve her reading fluency. Although it's not possible to memorize every single word, your child can memorize the common words that will make it easier for her to read various texts. You can find lists of sight words online or ask your child's teacher for site words that are appropriate for her level.

Another method for young children is to use pictures and context clues to comprehend texts. When you read to your child, encourage her to notice details in the pictures, which can improve reading comprehension. Eventually, when your child reads texts without pictures, show her how to use context clues to figure out the meaning of difficult words and sentences.

Seeking Extra Help

If your child continues to struggle, he may have a disability or lack a fundamental understanding of how to read. Consult with your child's teachers, school, counselors and any other learning professionals that he or she may be working with. Don't be afraid to seek professional opinions outside of school from reading experts or child psychologists. Sometimes, extra help may be just what's needed to improve your child's confidence in reading.