Ask the Reading Coach: How Can I Support My Child's Independent Problem-Solving Skills?

In Part Two of "How Can I Help My Child Become a More Independent Reader?", today we will look at some easy scripts to use at home in a parent's role when providing guided support.

As previously discussed, it is imperative to allow for your child to independently engage with text, and to support his or her efforts by still allowing for the responsibility for problem-solving and ownership of the reading experience to belong to your child.

Here are some simple yet essential ways to respond to your child in the primary grades:

1. "Think about what makes sense here."
2. "Take a closer look, and let's try that again."
3. "Give yourself a chance to try and read that word a second time."
4. "Take your time and sound it out. Good job!"
5.  "Let's go back and get a running start." (read the sentence a 2nd time)
6. "Always remember what the story is about." (use of context clues)

Important Questions to Ask and Essential Ways to Validate Effort:

Parents, try and remember, on occasion, to invite your child to share his or her problem-solving strategies, when he or she successfully reads a new word. This allows for your child to self-reflect and to bring that knowledge to a conscious level. The hope is, by hearing himself or herself articulate their own skills and strategies, they will consequently be that much more well-prepared for the next problem-solving opportunity.

On the other hand, if he or she struggles to self-correct, yet still reads the new or unfamiliar word inaccurately, your role is to provide gentle, guided support and encouragement.  Validate and reinforce his or her hard work, and acknowledge the effort put forth:  "I see you are trying to figure that out. Good job so far. Let's go back and try that again."  This consistent support is essential in building his or her confidence and independence as a reader.

See our next blog for important ways to help build and sustain your child's motivation as a reader, especially in the upper elementary and middle school grades.

"There are many ways to enlarge a child's world. Love of books is best of all."
~ Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

Carolyn Polchinski, M.S.Ed. is a Clinical Professor of Literacy Education and licensed Learning Specialist based out of Scarsdale. She is the founder of Confident Readers, a full-service tutoring and educational consulting firm. She specializes in supporting children with A.D.H.D. and executive function deficits.Visit her on the web at www.confidentreaders.com.

To learn more about the programs she offers, call 914.325.0297 or email Carolyn@ConfidentReaders.com. You can also read Patch's profile article of Polchinski here.