Empowering Parents: A Guide to Support Children with Disabilities That Affect Reading Comprehension
Parenting is a journey filled with joy, challenges, and the unyielding desire to provide the best for our children–I totally get it because I am a parent, too. As a former special education teacher, I’ve also worked with so many parents to do our best to support the learning of their children. If you find yourself navigating the path of supporting a child with a disability that affects reading, particularly if they’re struggling with comprehension (which, actually, many do), you’re not alone. I wrote this blog post to offer guidance, encouragement, and actionable tips to empower you on this important journey.
Understand the Challenge
Outside of the child themselves, nobody understands the challenges of a child with a disability that affects reading better than their parents. Children with disabilities in reading often face hurdles in grasping and comprehending written, and sometimes verbal, information. It’s crucial to approach this challenge with patience, empathy, and a commitment to learning strategies that will help you best support your learner.
Share a Love of Reading
Our attitude around reading is so important! Parents can do so much to help cultivate a positive attitude toward reading. Explore multiple types of books, topics, and formats to discover what captivates your child’s interest. Visit the library together, choose books that align with their passions, and make reading a joyful, shared experience. Also, let your children see you read books for yourself! This communicates that in your family, you all are readers. By fostering a love of reading, you are minimizing one huge hurdle to supporting reading comprehension growth–motivation!
Just Get Them Reading
I am often asked about my thoughts on kids reading graphic novels or listening to audiobooks–should we be using these or try to persuade our learners to pick up something else, like a traditional novel or children’s book? Here is my response–I don’t care what a child reads, I just want them to be reading something! This is the first hurdle. There is great benefit that can come from reading graphic novels or listening to audiobooks. And just to be clear, children will experience benefits from listening to audiobooks even without following along with the physical book! So be open and flexible with what your child reads or listens to. The main goal is to get them interacting with books. Period. Once they begin to be more open to reading, you can begin to expose them to a wider range of reading material but don’t worry about doing that right away if your child isn’t open to it.
Foster Reading Comprehension Skills
At its core, reading comprehension is about understanding and connecting ideas. A great way to promote comprehension is by asking questions about what they’re reading and having a conversation about it. If your child is struggling, try modeling your thinking about a story. You can also try discussing a small part of the story (e.g., a paragraph or a page) rather than a larger part (e.g., a chapter or the entire book). If you want tips on questions to ask to promote comprehension, download my free tip sheet.
Seek Professional Guidance
Consider seeking professional guidance from a specialist (Hello! That’s probably why you’re here) who can provide insights tailored to your child’s specific needs. Collaborate with your child’s school to develop a plan that outlines individualized instruction and accommodations, if necessary, to enhance their reading comprehension skills.
Encourage a Growth Mindset: Praise Effort Over Perfection
Instill a growth mindset in your child by recognizing their efforts and emphasizing the importance of perseverance. Praise their hard work, celebrate small victories, and encourage them to view challenges as part of the learning process. Learning to read is just like learning any other skill; we do not do it perfectly the first time! Our individual “reading muscle” must be built and strengthened and believe me, with the right approach, that muscle will grow!
Conclusion
Supporting a child with disabilities that affect reading comprehension requires a blend of understanding, perseverance, and know-how. Embrace the uniqueness of your child, celebrate their efforts, and continue to explore diverse strategies. Remember, you’re not alone on this journey. Together, we can empower our children to overcome challenges and unlock the joy of reading.
If you’re ready to learn the evidence-based strategies needed to support reading comprehension growth in your learner, check out my new course, The Reading Comprehension Solution!