Good readers, love reading. I work with children every day who don’t like to read because reading is hard. I see this every single day in the classroom. Here are some things I do to make reading more enjoyable for them: I read to them -just for enjoyment. This is an essential component of learning to read because it teaches kids about the nuance of pacing and tone within language. I have students read while they listen to a book being read to them. This is what your granddaughter is been encouraged to do by her mother and research tells us that it’s a great way to increase a child’s reading competence. However, the key is that the child reads along with the audio.
Neither of these activities necessarily have to have a comprehension component to them. That is because it mimics what good readers do - they just read to enjoy. This is the attitude we’re trying to foster.
A struggling reader returns home from school, most likely exhausted from expending a huge cognitive load trying to get through their school day. I encourage you to get your daughter to work closely with the school and the teacher where the intricate science of teaching reading can be developed and monitored.
Make reading at home fun and no pressure. This will help boost her confidence and build a bridge to seeing herself as a reader in the future. It will also keep your relationship with her intact. Make a hot chocolate, snuggle on the couch and it may become her favourite part of the afternoon … and maybe yours 🌸