Are you wondering if your child has dyslexia? Why is your child struggling to read? Families want to support their child with mastering learning to read. I am here to help. I am your Reading Teacher. Just like we advise our children, ask your teacher when you need help. If you just need resources to help you get started, explore the links to the FREE resources for struggling early readers below.
As a Dyslexia tutor for children and adults, I have used all of the online tools and resources linked below that are also available for families. Parents should get trained on how to teach a struggling reader through structured literacy. Structured literacy is a systematic approach to teaching early readers that ensures a reader demonstrates mastery of skills before advancing.
No matter what resources you use, please ensure you start with structured literacy because the science of reading research back up it is how all children can be taught to read. Say no to sight words. More on why tools focused on sight word instruction should be avoided in a future article.
Parent Training Resources
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Parents can start at ReadingRockets.org. This extensive website has instructional videos and free self-paced training on what effective structured literacy instruction looks like. Your child may only struggle in some areas of reading and not others, having a deeper understanding of how children learn to read will help you identify where your child is struggling and exactly how to help them.
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The UFLI Parent Hub links many free literacy resources. More importantly, I recommend the University of Florida Literacy Institute Instructor’s manual for Parents that want to learn how to provide a structured literacy reading intervention. The manual is only $90 plus shipping for US orders. All of their instructional resources are free for anyone to download and print. This makes this curriculum one of the top intervention tools for anyone supporting a struggling reader’s instruction.
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Parents can take the free training for structured literacy via the Cox Campus video courses for educators.
- Parents can sign up for 1-month free access to the Teach Your Child to Read Parent Course via Reading Garden Club. If you continue in the course, you will get access to private coaching from a dyslexia tutor - me!
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Podcasts are a one way for families to get up-to-date guidance on how they can support their struggling or emerging reader. I want to highlight a few podcasts.
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But Why? is a podcast for kids that explains how brains learn to read in a kid-friendly way.
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Brains On! is another podcast for kids with an episode about a young reader that struggled for years. This episode explains why learning to read can be hard for children.
- #DearReadingTeacher is my personal podcast I have created to support families in the early reading world. I talk with expert guests and parents about the joys of teaching a child to read, and the struggles. I even discuss the special education services in the United States for dyslexia.
What other early reading resources does your family utilize that may support a struggling reader?
Happy reading fams!
Elisabeth