If you are asking yourself “How can I help my child read?”, it is a sign that you are a concerned and connected parent. That’s a good thing, as it means you are already determined to help your child get back on track. Now that you have realized there is an issue with their reading, let’s take a look at how you can fix this.

Here we will provide you with solutions and address the common areas of doubt. The thing to remember is that almost all children have the ability to read well, it is simply that some find it more challenging and require a bit more support or motivation.

What age should a child be able to read?

While every child will have their own levels and rate of progress, it is generally considered that a child should be able to read in a moderate way by age 5-6.

However, the truth is there is no predetermined age that a child should or must be able to read. Some will learn faster, being able to read at just 4 or 5 years of age, but some will develop later.

The right age will be different for each individual and is greatly impacted by their personal interest in reading and how reading is taught. It is never too late to learn to read, but the earlier the better, as not being able to read can greatly impact a child’s ability to learn other subjects and keep up in classes.

How can I help my child read?

You can help your child read by supporting and encouraging the development of reading skills. The techniques used will somewhat vary by age, but here are a few useful strategies.

1. Follow the words with a finger or pointer as you read to your child. Let them see the words and how you read.
2. Share reading, either by letting them read the next part or by rereading the part you just read to them.
3. Encourage them to read text aloud.
4. Make it fun with funny voices, relating to the story, or discussing the pictures.
5. Provide feedback in a positive and friendly way.
6. Encourage them to ask questions and talk for a bit about the questions and the text.
7. Discuss what is in the text and also what is implied by the text. Ask them questions about what they have read. 
8. Provide easy or correctly matched reading materials for them to explore when they want to.
9. Use technology to help when you are not available to support their reading.

What you shouldn’t do when trying to improve reading

It is good that you want your child to read, but don’t let that concern turn things into a military-style regiment. If you take things too seriously, you could shatter their confidence and make reading feel like a punishment. Therefore, here is a little advice.

• Flexible schedule (but have a schedule)
• Don’t drill the alphabet, words, or otherwise
• Don’t show frustration or anger (never do this!)
• Don’t choose reading materials that are difficult (it destroys confidence)
• Don’t assign books, let your child choose from a selection

While we understand the desire to get them reading at a higher level, it is so important that the journey progresses at a rate where they are comfortable and is enjoyable. At the end of the day, you want your child to enjoy reading and choose to read independently when they feel like it. This way, they practice more, learn more, and can enjoy reading throughout their life.

How can we help speed up the learning process?

Our large range of fun books and amazing AI tutor can provide reading support 24/7. This means that even if you don’t have time to read with your child, you can still assign a reading time and allow our AI Reading tutor to take over.

Our system will help them read by reading texts aloud, letting them read texts to the tutor, and providing feedback on pronunciation. As no-one is watching, they can make as many mistakes as they want, without feeling bad or embarrassed.

All of our books are age and ability appropriate, meaning that they will actually start to enjoy reading and want to explore more of the digital library.

Why wait? With our AI supporting their reading, you can read with them and provide additional questions and support when you have time. It really does help to take the pressure off of parents.