Page 14 - The Islander - January '22

Page 14, The Islander

Charity Spotlight
from page 12

Janet Levy, Mark Levy Arlette Gordon, Debbie Goldenhirsh Joseph McNamara, Max McNamara Gloria Herman, Gabe Licko Mara Benjamin, Arthur Benjamin

Lisa Pecaro, Richard Namay Susan Borchardt, Kay Gilman

all about KidS

Make Your Child

A Better Reader

By Jim Forgan, Ph.D.,
School Psychologist
Every child needs to learn
how to read but one in five
children have dyslexia so
it is no surprise that many
kids have problems learning
to read. Warning signs of
dyslexia include having a
family member diagnosed or
suspected to have dyslexia,
slow reading aloud, difficulty
sounding out unfamiliar words, and weak everyday spelling.
Here are three ways you can help make your child a
better reader.
First, make reading enjoyable and capitalize on your child’s
interests since when we are interested in a topic it holds our
attention and intrinsically motivates us. Children who struggle
with reading need adults to read to and with them well into middle
school. While typical readers prefer to read by themselves starting
in about fourth grade, struggling readers continue to need you to
be the guide by their side. Many children enjoy reading graphic
novels such as I Survived or The Baby-Sitters Club.
Next, recognize and verbalize that you notice your child’s
struggle. It is alright to say, “I know reading is harder for
you but you have what it takes to become a good reader. The
more we practice, the better you’ll become.” Teach your child
to have grit which is the ability to start and stick with a task
until it’s finished. Notice your child having grit in a preferred
task and then link it back to the harder task. You might say,
“You really stuck with that project and put in a lot of effort to
finish it. You can have that same kind of grit when it comes
to reading or anything you set your mind to accomplish.”
Third, if your child and you butt heads during academic
work time, hire a well-qualified reading tutor. It takes at least
twice a week tutoring to make a substantial difference in your
child’s reading ability. I have a list of specialized reading
tutors at JimForgan.com/tutor or visit the Lindamood-Bell
Learning Center in Palm Beach Gardens or the Reading
Success Center in Palm City.
We offer dyslexia, learning disability, IQ, and ADHD/ADD
testing. Learn more at JimForgan.com or call (561) 625-4125.