What Is Reading Comprehension?

Reading comprehension is the ability to read for understanding. Many families searching for reading tutoring in NYC may not realize that their child can have reading comprehension difficulties even when they read words accurately.

Strong reading comprehension skills enable children to identify key information, understand vocabulary, draw conclusions, determine the main idea of a passage, and answer questions about what they read. Reading comprehension involves a variety of skills working together, including:

• Decoding words accurately
• Reading with appropriate fluency
• Understanding vocabulary words
• Making inferences
• Grasping key details
• Synthesizing the main idea
• Applying information learned from text

A child with reading comprehension difficulties may struggle with one or several of these skills, which can make it hard for them to effectively grasp the material they are reading. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), many students struggle to read proficiently on grade level.

If your child struggles with reading comprehension, you might want to consider finding the right reading specialist in Manhattan to help build this skill. Learn more at What to Look for in a Reading Specialist in NYC- EBL Coaching.

Signs of Reading Comprehension Challenges

There are several signs that may suggest your child struggles with reading comprehension:

1. Your Child Can Read Words but Struggles to Explain What They Read

One of the most common reasons parents seek a reading specialist in NYC is that their child can read words accurately but struggles to explain what they have read.

To test this skill, have your child read a passage out loud to you and then ask them the following questions:

• What was the passage about?
• Who were the main characters?
• Where did the story take place?
• What was the main idea?
• Why do you think a particular event occurred?

If your child struggles to answer these questions, it may indicate that they are exerting so much effort into decoding words that little mental energy is left to process the information they are reading.

2. Trouble Answering Questions About Reading Assignments

Students who struggle with reading comprehension often have challenges answering questions about reading assignments, including:

• Direct questions from the passage
• Inferential questions
• Cause-and-effect scenarios
• Questions about predictions
• Questions that involve drawing conclusions

You may notice that your child can read a passage accurately but struggles with written responses, creating summaries, or performing well on reading tests.

Families who contact EBL Coaching for reading comprehension tutoring in NYC often indicate that they noticed these signs before seeking professional tutoring.

3. Difficulty Following Multi-Step Directions

Reading comprehension skills can affect many aspects of life beyond school. Children who have reading comprehension difficulties may also have trouble following rules and understanding directions at home.

For example, you might find that your child:

• Forgets steps when doing chores around the house
• Misinterprets directions
• Needs directions told to them multiple times
• Completes assignments incorrectly

4. Poor Vocabulary

Vocabulary can play a large role in reading comprehension. If your child regularly comes across words they don’t know the meaning of, they may struggle to understand the material they are reading.

Signs of a weak vocabulary include:

• Regularly asking for the meaning of words
• Using words incorrectly
• Avoiding reading complex books
• Experiencing challenges with grade-appropriate reading material

5. Trouble Identifying the Main Idea

Many students who struggle with reading can identify concrete details from the passage but have trouble grasping the overall main idea.

Your child may recall small details but has trouble explaining:

• The message author is trying to relay
• The main theme
• The author’s purpose in writing the passage

Challenges with identifying the main idea often become increasingly noticeable as students move through upper elementary school, into middle school, and beyond.

6. Reading Avoidance

Many students avoid tasks that they find to be challenging. Students who struggle with reading comprehension may avoid reading. Your child may do the following:

• Complain about reading homework
• Select books below their grade level
• Become easily distracted when reading
• Avoid reading for pleasure

Reading avoidance could indicate that reading comprehension is a challenge for your child.

7. Trouble Making Inferences

Students who excel at reading are usually able to combine information from the passage they read with their own background knowledge to make inferences.

Students with reading comprehension challenges often struggle to:

• Draw conclusions from information they read
• Explain why events may have occurred
• Grasp implied meanings
• Predict future scenarios

These higher-level comprehension skills become increasingly important as students progress through school and can significantly impact other subject areas.

8. Weak Performance Across Multiple Subjects

Some parents may think that reading comprehension only affects language arts. However, it plays a role in nearly every subject at school.
Students with reading comprehension challenges may struggle with:

• Science
• Social studies
• Languages
• Math, including problem solving
• Elective classes

Since learning information often depends on grasping new concepts, reading comprehension weaknesses can affect a child’s overall performance at school. If your child continues to struggle with their reading comprehension skills, you may want to have them evaluated for a possible learning disability.

Students with dyslexia, ADHD, and other learning disabilities often experience reading comprehension challenges. Learn more at Signs Your Child May Be Neurodivergent: ADHD, Dyslexia, And Autism – EBL Coaching.

Children who are receiving reading intervention in NYC often face challenges across multiple academic subjects.

What Causes Reading Comprehension Problems?

Reading comprehension challenges can have many causes, including:

Decoding Challenges

Students with dyslexia or other language-based learning disabilities may exert a great deal of effort decoding words; as a result, their comprehension of the material suffers. Some children may not have a diagnosed learning disability but still struggle with sounding out words.

Students seeking dyslexia tutoring in NYC often face reading comprehension challenges because so much mental energy is spent on decoding words. The Orton Gillingham approach is highly effective in developing students’ decoding skills.

Language Processing Weaknesses

Some children struggle with language processing, including understanding and organizing language. These weaknesses can make it challenging for them to understand complex sentences and paragraphs.

Limited Vocabulary

Students with a limited vocabulary may have difficulty understanding passages that become increasingly complex with higher level vocabulary words.

Attention Difficulties

Children who have attention challenges, including those with ADHD, may struggle to stay focused when reading. As a result, they may miss key information and have trouble comprehending what they read.

Executive Functioning Challenges

Executive functioning skills include planning, working memory, task completion, organization, and other related skills. Weak executive functioning skills can make it challenging for students to retain and process information when reading. Executive functioning coaching can help students build these key skills which can, in turn, help develop their reading comprehension skills.

Effective reading tutoring in Manhattan should utilize research-based, multi-sensory strategies to build your child’s reading comprehension skills. Learn more at Supporting Students with Reading Comprehension Issues | EBL Coaching.

Many parents looking for executive functioning coaching in NYC find that improving these skills can also strengthen their child’s reading comprehension skills.

How Reading Comprehension Difficulties Affect Self-Esteem

Students who consistently struggle to comprehend what they read may start to question their abilities.

They may make comments like:

• “I’m terrible at reading.”
• “I’m not smart.”
• “I can’t understand what I’m reading about.”
• “My friends are better readers than me.”

With continued struggles, these beliefs can negatively affect your child’s self-confidence, motivation, and overall academic achievement. However, reading comprehension skills can improve dramatically with the right specialized tutoring.

How Specialized Reading Tutoring Can Help

Effective reading tutoring in NYC should utilize research-based, multi-sensory strategies that address each student’s specific reading challenges.

Based on your child’s needs, the tutoring may include:

• Strengthening reading fluency
• Teaching active reading strategies
• Working on summarizing information
• Teaching students to highlight the topic, main idea, and important details using multi-colored highlighters
• Strengthening inferencing skills
• Building a broader vocabulary
• Strengthening executive functioning skills

Weak executive functioning skills can make it challenging for students to retain and process information when reading. Learn more at What Are Executive Functioning Skills? A Simple Guide for Parents – EBL Coaching.

With individualized, evidence-based tutoring, students can make significant progress in both their reading comprehension skills and their self-esteem.

When Should You Seek Help for Your Child?

You may want to explore specialized reading tutoring for your child if you notice they:

• Consistently struggle to comprehend what they read
• Struggle to perform well on reading comprehension tests
• Avoid reading for pleasure
• Slip below grade-level expectations
• Show signs of poor self-esteem related to reading

Early intervention with the right specialized tutoring can help your child develop their reading skills and prevent small challenges from becoming greater academic weaknesses.

Students with dyslexia often struggle with decoding words and reading fluency. Learn more about effective reading support at International Dyslexia Association – …until everyone can read!.

Why Parents Seek Reading Comprehension Tutoring in NYC

Many parents look for reading comprehension tutoring in NYC after noticing that their child can decode words well but struggle to understand what they read, complete their homework, or perform well on reading comprehension exams. Working with a reading specialist in NYC can help your child develop their reading comprehension skills using a targeted instructional plan.

Why NYC Students Often Need Reading Comprehension Support

Parents in New York City often notice their children are struggling to keep up with their increasingly demanding schoolwork, especially as the level of required reading increases. As students progress through school, strong reading comprehension skills become critical for success in essentially every subject.

Students who attend NYC public schools, private schools, parochial schools, and specialized schools are often expected to read complex texts, analyze information, create written responses, and complete standardized assessments that integrate extensive reading comprehension. When a student has difficulty comprehending what they read, it can affect their performance in English language arts, science, social studies, math word problems, and even elective classes.

Parents throughout New York City often seek specialized reading tutoring when they notice their child is:

• Struggling with reading comprehension tests
• Avoiding reading
• Falling below grade-level expectations
• Having trouble completing homework related to reading
• Becoming increasingly frustrated with schoolwork

Early remediation and individualized instruction can help students strengthen their reading comprehension skills and develop stronger self-confidence.

Reading Comprehension Tutoring in NYC at EBL Coaching

At EBL Coaching, we specialize in providing one-on-one individualized reading tutoring to students who struggle with all aspects of reading (including reading comprehension) using evidence-based, multi-sensory techniques that are customized to each student’s needs. We help students with dyslexia, ADHD, autism, specific learning disabilities, and general academic skills challenges.

For our tutoring in Manhattan, we begin by assessing each student’s strengths and weaknesses and then create an individualized instructional plan to develop the skill areas they need help with, including reading comprehension, fluency, decoding, vocabulary, and other academic skills.

Using evidence-based tutoring and individualized support, we have helped thousands of students develop the academic skills and self-confidence they need to become stronger, more effective readers.

Frequently Asked Questions about Reading Comprehension Tutoring in NYC

Can a child have strong decoding skills but weak reading comprehension?
Yes!  Some students can read words accurately but struggle to understand what they read. Many children exert a great deal of energy when reading words that they miss out on the overall gist of what they are reading.

Are reading comprehension problems a sign of dyslexia?
Reading comprehension problems can be a sign of dyslexia, but that’s not always the case. Students with dyslexia often struggle with decoding words and reading fluently. Comprehension difficulties can also be a result of language processing challenges, ADHD, poor executive functioning skills, or a weak vocabulary.

What age should parents become concerned about reading comprehension?
There is no specific age when you should become concerned about reading comprehension struggles, as every child is different. However, if you notice that your child is consistently struggling to understand what they read, you may want to explore specialized reading tutoring.

Can reading comprehension improve with tutoring?
Yes, absolutely! Evidence-based reading tutoring that is individualized to your child’s areas of weakness, including reading fluency, vocabulary, comprehension and other related skill areas, can help your child make significant gains in their reading comprehension abilities.

How can I tell if my child needs a reading tutor?
If you notice that your child consistently has difficulties answering reading comprehension questions, avoids reading, falls behind peers academically, or is becoming increasingly frustrated when reading, you may want to explore specialized reading support for them.

How Can I Find a Reading Comprehension Tutor in NYC?
When looking for a reading comprehension tutor in NYC, try to find someone who specializes in helping students specifically develop their reading comprehension skills – not someone who just specializes in decoding or reading fluency. Look for a tutor who uses research-based methods, conducts an initial assessment to gauge your child’s strengths and weaknesses, and develops an individualized tutoring plan prior to the start of sessions.

What Should I Look for in a Reading Specialist in NYC?
When searching for a reading specialist in NYC, look for a tutor who specializes in evidence-based reading instruction and has extensive experience working with neurodiverse students, including those who have reading difficulties, dyslexia, ADHD, autism, and other learning disabilities. The right reading specialist should address your child’s reading skills using an individualized instructional plan. It is also important to choose a reading tutor who uses research-based, multi-sensory techniques and regularly monitors your child’s progress to ensure they are consistently improving.

Dr. Emily Levy, the founder and director of EBL Coaching, has helped thousands of students build their reading skills over the past twenty years using research-based, multi-sensory techniques. She is the author of the Strategies for Study Success student workbook series, the Flags and Stars Orton Gillingham student workbook program, and the Flags and Stars Multi-Sensory Math student workbook series. She speaks nationally at educational conferences and frequently appears on podcasts as an educational expert. She has also been featured in publications including Newsweek, Autism Advocate Parenting Magazine, Epoch Times, and Macaroni Kids.

The post Reading Comprehension Difficulties: 8 Signs Your Child Needs Help appeared first on EBL Coaching.

The best reading tutors in NYC should do more than just help students complete their homework assignments. They should identify specific skills challenges and academic gaps, and use research-based, multi-sensory techniques to help students build these skills and become stronger, more confident readers.

What Makes a Great Reading Tutor?

The best reading tutors in NYC should have several qualities, as follows:

Expertise in Orton Gillingham Tutoring

Students who struggle with reading typically require more than traditional tutoring. They need specialized instruction using research-based techniques such as the Orton Gillingham method, which teaches reading skills in a structured, multi-sensory manner. Research indicates that Orton Gillingham tutoring is one of the most effective approaches for helping struggling readers build their reading skills, including those with dyslexia.

Learn more about Orton Gillingham tutoring in NYC for dyslexia and struggling readers at What Is Orton-Gillingham Tutoring? Multi-Sensory, Structured Help | EBL Coaching.

Experience Working with Learning Challenges

Students with ADHD, dyslexia, and other language-based learning disabilities generally respond best to individualized one-on-one instruction. When looking for a tutor in NYC, try to find someone who specializes in working with neurodiverse students and will create an individualized tutoring plan using evidence-based techniques that specifically address their needs.

Confidence-Building Approach

Many children who struggle with reading lose confidence and start to feel that they are incapable of reading well. A strong tutor should focus on reading development along with helping students strengthen their self-confidence and develop a positive attitude toward learning.

Individualized Instruction

Each child has their own unique profile and needs. Effective reading tutors should start with an initial assessment to gauge your child’s strengths and weaknesses and then come up with an individualized learning plan that targets their specific areas of weakness using evidence-based techniques that are most appropriate for them.

Learn how to choose the right reading specialist in NYC for your child at What to Look for in a Reading Specialist in NYC- EBL Coaching.

Signs Your Child May Need a Reading Tutor

Some parents feel their child will “catch up” on reading with time and practice. However, most struggling readers need the right intervention to effectively develop their reading skills. Some common signs that suggest your child may need a tutor are:

• Trouble sounding out words when reading
• Slow or choppy reading
• Weak reading comprehension
• Reading avoidance
• Trouble learning sight words
• Frustration with reading homework
• Poor self-esteem
• A diagnosis of ADHD, autism, dyslexia, or another learning disability

The earlier you can find the right tutor for your child, the more you can prevent future challenges. Research indicates that early intervention can help students make stronger progress than those who wait until their reading difficulties become more severe.

What Reading Tutoring Should Include

An effective reading tutoring program should integrate multiple aspects of reading based on the student’s areas of need, including:

Phonological Awareness

Strong phonological awareness is a key component of reading success. It covers skills such as rhyming; recognizing sounds; manipulating sounds in words, phonemic blending; combining sounds to form words; and other related skills.

Decoding

To read effectively, children need to learn the names of the letters and their corresponding sounds, and how to blend those sounds together to form words. During tutoring sessions, they should learn how to decode words independently with accuracy.

Reading Fluency

Reading tutors should help students build their fluency skills, including reading text accurately and at an appropriate pace with proper expression. This helps students comprehend material more effectively.

Vocabulary Development

Strong vocabulary skills are an important component of reading tutoring and can help further strengthen reading comprehension skills.

Reading Comprehension

Being able to effectively comprehend material is a key aspect of successful reading. During reading tutoring sessions, students can build this skill with strategies such as learning to visualize information; highlighting the topic, main idea, and important details; summarizing information; making inferences, and other related strategies.

Explore our guide to dyslexia tutoring in NYC using the Orton Gillingham approach at Best Tutoring for Dyslexia: Orton Gillingham, Reading, and Writing Support for Children – EBL Coaching.

Why Families Choose EBL Coaching for Private Tutoring in NYC

For more than 20 years, EBL Coaching has helped students throughout New York City develop their reading skills and enhance their self-esteem.  At EBL Coaching, we specialize in helping students with specific learning needs, including those who have ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and other learning disabilities, build their core academic and executive functioning skills.

Our reading tutoring in Manhattan includes:

• One-on-one individualized instruction
• Initial assessments before sessions begin
• Orton Gillingham tutoring
• Reading comprehension techniques
• Reading fluency and vocabulary development
• Multi-sensory learning strategies
• In-person and virtual tutoring
• Tutoring for students in grades PreK–12
• Home tutoring in New York City, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island, Westchester, Long Island, and New Jersey

While some tutoring programs may focus only on homework help or general skills building, our highly specialized reading tutoring sessions integrate diagnostic and prescriptive instructional plans that are individualized to the needs of each student.

Reading Tutoring for Students with Dyslexia

Parents seeking the best reading tutors in NYC are often looking for support for their child with dyslexia. Dyslexia can affect many aspects of reading, including decoding, reading fluency, and comprehension. It can also affect spelling and writing skills. However, with the right research-based, multi-sensory tutoring, students with dyslexia can make significant progress.

At EBL Coaching, we use multi-sensory techniques and Orton Gillingham instruction to help students build their decoding, spelling, reading fluency, comprehension, and writing skills. We also specialize in individualized intervention for students with dyslexia.

How to Choose the Best Reading Tutor in NYC

When searching for the best tutor in NYC, you may want to ask the following questions:

• Do you start with an initial assessment before tutoring sessions begin?
• Do you use research-based, multi-sensory techniques?
• Do you specialize in helping students with ADHD, dyslexia, and other learning disabilities?
• Are the tutoring sessions one-on-one?
• Do you provide tutoring in-person or virtually?
• Do you provide in-home tutoring?
• Are parents provided with regular progress updates?

The answers to these questions can help you identify the best tutor for your child, based on their unique needs and overall learning profile.

Review these important questions to ask before hiring a private tutor in NYC at What Questions Should You Ask Before Hiring a Tutor in NYC? – EBL Coaching.

Reading Tutoring Throughout New York City

Families in all areas of New York City turn to EBL Coaching for one-on-one reading tutoring and academic remediation. We provide reading tutoring to students in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island, as well as nearby areas including Westchester County, Long Island, and northern New Jersey.

At EBL Coaching, we work with students who struggle with phonics, reading fluency, reading comprehension, as well as students who have dyslexia, ADHD, autism, and other learning disabilities. We help students who attend public schools, private schools, charter schools, and specialized schools, and create individualized tutoring plans tailored to each student’s unique needs.

Reading Tutoring in Manhattan

EBL Coaching provides individualized reading tutoring throughout Manhattan, including the Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Midtown, Chelsea, Tribeca, SoHo, Greenwich Village, the Financial District, and surrounding neighborhoods. Our Manhattan reading tutoring helps students build their phonics and fluency skills, strengthen their reading comprehension skills, and become more confident readers.

Reading Tutoring in Brooklyn

Families throughout Brooklyn often look for reading tutoring for their children who need support developing their decoding, reading fluency, spelling, writing, and comprehension skills. We work with students who live in neighborhoods throughout Brooklyn and provide individualized instruction based on each child’s learning profile.

Reading Tutoring in Queens

Our reading tutoring helps students throughout Queens who need reading remediation, dyslexia intervention, executive functioning coaching, writing development, math enrichment, and help with other academic skills. We use research-based, multi-sensory techniques to aid students in becoming stronger, more effective readers.

Reading Tutoring in the Bronx and Staten Island

Students in the Bronx and Staten Island benefit from one-on-one reading tutoring that builds academic skills and helps remediate learning challenges. Through this one-on-one tutoring, students receive individualized support to help them improve their reading skills and overall academic performance.

In-Person and Virtual Reading Tutoring

EBL Coaching offers both in-person and virtual tutoring options. If you are looking for a reading tutor in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island, Westchester, Long Island, or New Jersey, we can help with individualized support that meets your child’s unique academic needs.

Through initial assessments, individualized tutoring plans, and evidence-based instruction, we help struggling readers develop stronger reading skills, strengthen their self-confidence, and achieve long-term success at school.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Best Reading Tutors in NYC

What is the best reading tutoring method for students with dyslexia?
The Orton Gillingham approach is an ideal method for helping students with dyslexia strengthen their reading and writing skills. At EBL Coaching, we have helped thousands of students develop their reading skills through Orton Gillingham tutoring

How often should my child receive reading tutoring?
The recommended frequency of reading tutoring varies based on each student’s needs and levels. An initial assessment can help determine the appropriate frequency; some students only need 1-2 sessions per week, while those with more profound learning needs may benefit from much more frequent weekly sessions.

Can reading tutoring in NYC help with reading comprehension?
Yes, absolutely! Reading tutoring can help students develop their reading comprehension skills using a variety of strategies, including visualizing; chunking information; highlighting the topic, main idea, and important details; making inferences; and other related techniques.

Does EBL Coaching offer virtual reading tutoring?
Yes!  EBL Coaching offers both in-person and virtual tutoring for students throughout NYC, New Jersey, Long Island, Westchester, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and surrounding areas.

How long does it take to see progress?
The rate of progress varies based on each student’s needs and overall profile. However, with the right evidence-based techniques and appropriate frequency, many students show progress within the first month of tutoring.

Get Help from One of the Best Reading Tutoring Programs in NYC

If your child is struggling with reading, EBL Coaching can help! We specialize in providing one-on-one, research-based instruction individualized to the needs of each student. We have expertise in helping students with ADHD, autism, specific learning disabilities, and other specialized learning needs.
Contact EBL Coaching today to learn how our reading tutoring can help your child thrive in school.

Learn more about effective dyslexia remediation at The Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity – Yale School of Medicine.

Dr. Emily Levy, the founder and director of EBL Coaching, has helped thousands of students build their reading skills over the past twenty years using research-based, multi-sensory techniques. She is the author of the Strategies for Study Success student workbook series, the Flags and Stars Orton Gillingham student workbook program, and the Flags and Stars Multi-Sensory Math student workbook series. She speaks nationally at educational conferences and frequently appears on podcasts as an educational expert. She has also been featured in publications including Newsweek, Autism Advocate Parenting Magazine, Epoch Times, and Macaroni Kids.

The post Best Reading Tutors in NYC for Struggling Readers appeared first on EBL Coaching.

The National Council of Teachers (NCTE) 2019 report underlines that independent reading is one of the most influential practices affecting learners’ reading success, weighing more than guided reading, drills of skills, and work with assigned texts.

Benefits of Independent Reading for Students

• Reading fluency and vocabulary. Once students read more, they encounter new words naturally. The same NCTE statement says the development of vocabulary has a direct link to the activities students do during self-selected reading.
• Reading comprehension. Similarly, as young students practice more, they better synthesize information and infer meaning in the long run. According to the School Library Research Journal report by Bernice E. Cullinan, the amount a 5-year-old read directly affects reading comprehension when they are 7 years old.
• Empathy. Reading, not only fiction but stories with diverse help develop empathy. The 2025 National Literacy Trust post declares that reading helps readers see views of others (32.8%) and understand more about other people (32.4%).
• Stress reduction. Learners may feel relaxed while reading, even for a short time. The 2025 research results by Project Tomorrow, an education nonprofit, underline that large print books can decrease stress even more.
• Reading habits. Daily reading sets reading preferences and habits for the future. According to a 2026 Purdue University post by Breanya Hogue, Yilin Shen, and Jorge Perez De Jesus, even a few focused minutes a day can help to develop a habit

What the Research Says About Independent Reading

Research pieces admit that independent reading strategies can be beneficial and provide reasons for using them at home and school.

• The main support comes from the already mentioned NCTE statement from 2019, underlining the effect of independent reading on the students’ development and reading achievement.
• At the same time, the 2000 foundational report by the National Reading Panel is more neutral, admitting the popularity of the independent reading concept and its effect on fluency, but finding no support for it. The report is still used today due to its extensive description of reading components, which is still used today.
• However, a 2024 Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report hints that though interest in reading and reading habits for fun decline, around 50% still believe reading for enjoyment is crucial. It supports that such a reading practice definitely answers students’ needs.

When Do Students Start Reading Independently?

Most students begin reading simple books independently in Grade 1 (ages 6-7), since they know the foundational phonics and decoding. So, by grade 3, or age 9, they transform into independent readers who can focus on texts that are longer and more complicated.

Nevertheless, everything depends on the reader and their skills. A student who is great at reading in Grade 3 and reads freely, in Grade 5, may need structured support to continue to do so.

How to Incorporate Independent Reading into the Classroom

To incorporate independent reading in the classroom, you should ensure that it happens regularly, and at the same time, students can pick what to read, and a teacher leads or models.

Focusing on these conditions will allow you to build a structure that helps protect free choice reading as a habit, even if the schedule is packed.

Schedule a Daily Independent Reading Block

A dedicated, separate block offers a predictable and consistent time to practice every day. It’s possible when students have a fixed slot for practice. Dedicated independent reading time will allow to develop a habit, have structure, and build reading stamina.

Here are the best ways to incorporate blocks into students’ day:

• For K-2 students, after a meeting or in transition between activities.
• For students in grades 3-5, 15 minutes of sustained silent reading at a specific time (accommodate the environment for it if possible).
• For middle and high school students, make sure you always have 10-15 minutes for independent reading in ELA (or other) class; reduce time, but don’t cut this block out.

Help Students Choose the Right Books

The rationale behind picking certain books is that when books correspond to students’ levels, it’s easier to advance comprehension and learning. Focus on books that a kid will be comfortable with.

Yet, don’t limit students to a certain reading level, especially if they are interested in specific books. If an independent reader is passionate about a topic, they may push through a challenging text without losing reading motivation.

Model Reading Behavior

It’s one of the simplest independent reading strategies for a teacher or educator to try. When teachers are reading, and students see them, they receive a signal: “That’s not just an assignment.” Young learners often look at what the figures they see as authority do rather than listen to them.

Build a Classroom Library Students Want to Use

Students should be able to choose a reading that meets their needs and interests. For this, a teacher should focus on creating a decent library with relevant materials. It may be small, but well curated, and it will outperform a large and ignored one. There, you can:

• Collect fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, and high-interest books that suit different needs.
• Regularly update libraries with popular books, relevant topics, and new editions.
• Encourage students to use library cards and access the school library or digital platforms.

How Parents Can Support Independent Reading at Home

To support the self-directed reading programs at home, parents should ensure kids practice reading independently. In this case, they may try to mirror the independent learning strategies, develop routines, and arrange space for it.

Choose Books That Match Interest and Level

Just like with an independent reading strategy in the classroom, at home, a parent should take into account both interest and level. Nevertheless, at home, a child should have more freedom.

Thus, the best recommendation for a parent is to let your kid lead, pick a topic first, then a level. To support their interest, take notes, and find relevant similar options.

Create a Reading Space at Home

Just like in school, an independent reading at home needs a dedicated reading space. A parent should provide an environment where children have no distractions and can maintain reading focus. On the other hand, it should be cozy and add to the reading as an enjoyable experience. When a child finds space with comfort and books, the habit of voluntary reading can stick longer.

Set a Regular Reading Time Together

Joint reading is one of the popular activities to improve kids’ reading skills at home. And in the case of independent reading, it may work as well. Just think of making a place and time for reading together. You can make it solely about reading, or leave room for discussion as well.

Nonetheless, it can happen that independent learning may not be enough. And that’s when families may want to resort to structured support.

For such families, the Brighterly reading program can offer personalized plans, rich and interactive classes, and targeted intervention from tutors. There, a priority is to develop useful habits.

Independent Reading Activities for Students

Reading journals, book talks, and library visits are the independent reading activities that can develop the reading habit and avoid adding pressure.

Reading Logs and Journals

As an educator, encourage learners to have an active reading log or make notes in a journal. Ask kids to regularly include in their things the title, date, and two sentences of reaction.

Records, either in a notebook or a digital app, would help students build accountability and remember the value. Later, you can use these logs to start a conversation.

Book Talks and Group Discussions

Next, try to ignite a conversation in a class. How? Invite one or two students to give a small pitch about their reading. There, the 5WH1 framework may do the trick. Yet, make sure you ensure that participation is voluntary.

A good pitch and a good book may easily ignite a conversation and add to the reading group discussion in a class.

Library Visits and Digital Access

Also, schedule a visit to the library, whether physical or digital, at the start of a semester and instruct kids on how to look for and request books. For digital platforms, share with them how to create free accounts and which platform to use: Sora, Libby, or Hoppia. Once it’s done, focus on teaching to find relevant books.

Conclusion

In a classroom, an independent reading is all about consistency and freedom. It provides consistent practice to help to build fluency, vocabulary, and reading stamina. And that’s why independent reading is so important.

Importantly, if a student needs a structured approach to support independent practice at home, the Brighterly reading comprehension program can help via 1:1 sessions and customized lessons.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Audiobooks Count as Independent Reading?
Yes, audiobooks count as independent reading, especially for students who develop fluency or experience reading challenges like dyslexia. Exposure to audiobooks that are well narrated adds to vocabulary and comprehension.

What Is the Difference Between Independent Reading and Guided Reading?
The difference lies in the involvement levels of a teacher, student autonomy, role of instructions. Independent reading is when students read silently and autonomously the text they choose to develop a reading habit. Guided reading is teacher-led, where students get text with direct instruction and prompts to target specific skills.

How Do I Know If a Book Is Too Hard or Too Easy for a Student?
Apply the 5-finger rule and ask a student to read one page. If there are zero or one unfamiliar words, it may be too easy; 4 or 5 may be too hard. You can also use a “just right” principle.

Is Independent Reading Effective for Struggling Readers?
Yes, independent reading can be effective for struggling readers if teachers use it with appropriate strategies like scaffolding. Students are to benefit the most from the self-selected reading texts that are paired with structured support and guidance from a teacher or tutor.

How Do I Track Independent Reading Without Quizzes or Tests?
To track independent reading without quizzes and tests, you can resort to reading logs, brief reading conferences, and voluntary book discussions or group talks. In independent reading, the goal of tracking is a conversation.

What Is Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) and How Does It Differ from Independent Reading?
Sustained silent reading (SSR) is not different from independent reading; it’s a classroom format for independent reading. It contemplates a scheduled educational practice when everyone in the classroom reads silently without interruption.

The post What Is Independent Reading? Benefits, Strategies, and Why It Matters for Kids appeared first on EBL Coaching.

December holidays are often filled with parties, family gatherings, and loads of fun. During this time, many kids veer off their routines and do little, if any, reading or school work. Help your child start the new year with strong reading skills by trying the ideas detailed below.

Create a daily reading habit

Before school starts again, help your child set a daily reading routine – ideally 20 minutes per day. For younger children, you can read books aloud to them. Let your child pick the books they want you to read to them and make the ritual fun and engaging. The books they choose can even be holiday themed! Try to set a regular reading time and create a cozy, welcoming environment – perhaps a corner in their room with a comfortable chair and light – and make the reading experience enjoyable. Older kids can read on their own, also for 20 minutes or so per day, but ask them questions about the book after their reading session to make sure they understood it. You can also create family reading hour (or half hour, or even fifteen minutes), perhaps before or after dinner, where everyone in the family selects a book of their choice and reads their book in a communal space together. Once everyone is done reading, you can even go around and ask each person to talk about what they read, their favorite parts, and whether or not they’d recommend the book.

Develop reading fluency

Reading fluency is a key component of reading, and a skill that tends to lead to overall improved reading skills. To help your child build stronger reading fluency skills, try this choral reading strategy. Select a passage from a book and perform the following steps:

1. Have your child read the passage aloud to you as a cold read.

2. You read the same passage aloud to them, modeling good fluency.

3. They read the passage aloud with you, trying to keep up with your pace.

4. Your child reads the passage aloud one more time, and you praise them with how much their fluency has improved from their initial cold read.

The more your child’s fluency improves, the more their comprehension and overall reading skills will likely improve as well.

Build decoding skills

When students read, it’s important that they learn to decode, or “sound out” words, rather than guessing at them. Orton Gillingham instruction is a great research-based approach for building stronger decoding skills, but you can practice this skill at home too. When your child comes across a word they aren’t sure how to read, encourage them to sound it out rather than asking you what the word is (the same is true for spelling a word). For example, if they come across a word like “plug”, remind them to break the word into its individual sounds and try to sound it out. Likewise, for words such as “cupcake” or “sandwich”, encourage them to break the word into its individual syllables and sound out the word accordingly. If your child continues to struggle with decoding words, Orton Gillingham tutoring may be very helpful for them.

Ask questions!

Help your child become an active reader and improve their reading comprehension skills by asking them questions about the book you are reading to them or they are reading themselves. If you are reading aloud to your child, stop every 2-3 pages or so and ask them questions about the story, such as: Who are the main characters? Which events have happened so far in the story? Where does the story take place? You can also ask them to create inferences and make predictions about what may happen next in the story. If your child is reading to themselves, ask them similar questions. They can even use sticky notes to write 1-2 line summaries about what they read after every three pages or so and stick them in their book. They can also create character maps describing each character and plot summary sheets at the end of each chapter as they read.

Holidays can be lots of fun, but make sure your child doesn’t stop reading during this time. Try these ideas at home to help your child keep their reading skills strong and start the year on a positive note.

The post Help Your Child Start the New Year with Strong Reading Skills appeared first on EBL Coaching.

A ChildNEXUS Podcast: Ep. 215, How to Support Students Who Struggle with Reading Comprehension

Highlighting

Many students are passive, rather than active, readers. This means that they are reading text but are not actively engaged in what they are reading and therefore may miss out on key information. Help your child develop stronger active reading and reading comprehension skills with a tri-colored highlighting strategy. Explain to your child that when we read, there are three elements we should look for: the topic, which is one, two, or three words describing the passage; the main idea, which is what the author is saying about the passage; and the important details, or salient information describing the main idea. They should highlight the topic in blue, main idea in green, and important details in yellow. Then select a news article or passage from a workbook. Ask your child to first read the article or passage without doing any highlighting, then go back and highlight the topic, main idea, and important details using blue, green, and yellow highlighters. You can even have them write a 1-2 line summary in their own words at the bottom of the page, summarizing what they just read. Developing stronger active reading skills can help your child excel in all subjects at school!

Reading Books

You can also teach your child strategies to help them become more actively engaged in the text when they are reading a novel. As they read, have them stop after every 2-3 pages and tell you a short summary of what they just read. Independently, they can also use a post-it note to write a 1-2 line summary of the information they read and stick it inside the book after those 2-3 pages. When they complete the chapter, they should write a one paragraph chapter summary in a separate notebook detailing what they just read, helping to ensure they grasped all of the events in the story. You can also have them fill out a character map at the end of each chapter when new characters are introduced, detailing the character’s name, a description about them and perhaps any good or bad qualities they noticed about each character and examples from the book that depict those qualities. Additionally, you may want to discuss with your child what they think may happen next in the story and why they think certain events may have happened. The more engaged they can be with the text, the better!

Visualizing

Learning to visualize information when reading is another important skill for reading comprehension success. You can help your child learn to visualize text starting with individual sentence visualizations. To do so, read a sentence to your child, like, “Dax was walking home from school when it started raining.” Ask your child pointed questions to help them form a visual image of the information in this sentence. For example, you might ask questions like, “How old do you think Dax is? What color hair does he have? Was he walking on a sidewalk or the street? Was he holding an umbrella? If so, what color was the umbrella?” Once your child has created a visual image of this sentence in their mind and has described this image to you, move onto the next sentence in the story and ask similar prompting questions. At the end of the story, have your child retell each sentence with all of the details from the visual images they created in their minds.

Tutoring

If your child continues to struggle with reading comprehension despite trying these strategies at home, you may want to consider one-on-one tutoring. This specialized tutoring can be targeted to your child’s individual needs and can help them develop much stronger reading comprehension skills, key for academic success.

Reading comprehension is one of the most important skills in school. Try these strategies at home to help improve your child’s confidence and overall academic performance

Read more about improving your child’s reading skills at https://eblcoaching.com/how-to-improve-your-dyslexic-childs-reading-skills/ and https://www.ldonline.org/ld-topics/reading-dyslexia/about-reading-disabilities-learning-disabilities-and-reading

The post How Reading Comprehension Tutoring Can Help Students appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Date published: 7/28/23

Listen to the full podcast here

In this podcast, Dr. Levy discusses nonverbal learning disabilities and strategies that can help students with NVLD thrive in school. 

Individuals with nonverbal learning disabilities typically have many strengths but also exhibit academic challenges. For instance, they may have difficulty with reading comprehension, especially inferencing, and understanding abstract language. They often have trouble breaking down and solving math word problems, and may struggle with executive functioning skills, such as planning, time management, task initiation, and prioritization. Learning strategies for developing these areas of weakness can help students with nonverbal learning disabilities perform well in school.

To build their reading comprehension skills, it is helpful to teach students with nonverbal learning disabilities to be active, rather than passive readers. For instance, instead of asking them to simply read a passage and answer reading comprehension questions, it may be helpful to teach them a highlighting strategy for active reading. To do so, explain to them that when we read, there are three elements to look for: the topic, which is one, two, or three words describing the passage; the main idea, which is what the author is saying about the topic; and the important details, or salient information describing the main idea. They should highlight the topic in blue, the main idea in green, and the important details in yellow. Explain that they should read the passage in full one time, then go back through the passage and highlight the topic, main idea, and important details using the corresponding colors. We teach students this strategy and many others in our special education tutoring programs.

To develop their math word problem solving skills, students with nonverbal learning disabilities may benefit from the COINS strategy, which teaches them to move from language to arithmetic and back to language. To use this strategy, they should read the word problem, then circle the relevant information (C), identify the operations(s) to use (O), write down the relevant information (I), create a number sentence (N), and then write the solution as a full sentence in their own words (S).

For executive functioning, students with nonverbal learning disabilities may benefit from concrete strategies and executive functioning coaching to build their organization, planning, time management, task initiation, and similar skills – along with how to apply these strategies to their relevant schoolwork. Read more about building stronger executive functioning skills at How to Build Executive Functioning Skills With Homework – EBL Coaching.

Students with nonverbal learning disabilities have the potential to do very well in school. With these strategies for building their reading comprehension, math word problem solving, and executive functioning skills, they will be well on their way to academic success. 

Read more at Nonverbal Learning Disorder | Psychology Today.

The post Dr. Emily Levy on the Jennifer Purcell Interview Podcast: Strategies for Students with Nonverbal Learning Disabilities appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Date published: 1/26/23

Listen to the full podcast here

In this podcast, Dr. Levy discusses dyslexia with Darius Namdaram and strategies that can help students with dyslexia build stronger reading comprehension skills.

Students with dyslexia typically struggle with reading and writing. They have trouble accurately sounding out words and often look at the beginning sound and “guess” at the rest of the word when reading. They also tend to struggle with spelling and expressing their thoughts on paper effectively when writing (despite having wonderful ideas!). Furthermore, while students with dyslexia often have strong auditory comprehension skills, because they exert so much energy trying to decode words, they may miss out on the “big picture” of what they are reading, negatively affecting their reading comprehension.

Learning to visualize information that they read and form web diagrams can help students with dyslexia develop stronger reading comprehension skills. When reading a passage about a rainstorm, for example, they may try to visualize the events happening in the story and benefit from prompting questions, like “What time of day was it?“, Who was in the story and how were they feeling?” or “What season was it?”. Once they have formed a visual image of the information they read, they can create a web diagram.

The student’s web diagram should have the topic written inside a bubble in the center of the page, like “the big rainstorm” and branching out of the middle web, they should add bubbles with supporting details written in them, like “when it occurred,” “who was affected”, and “how long it lasted.” Students can then add additional branches to the supporting details bubbles with more information describing each supporting detail. They can also add pictures, symbols, and colors to add creativity. The more colorful and creative, the better! Read more about strategies for developing your child’s reading skills at How to Improve Your Dyslexic Child’s Reading Skills – EBL Coaching.

Students with dyslexia are often very bright and have great imaginations. Learning this visualization strategy can help them develop stronger reading comprehension skills. 

Learn more at Reading & Dyslexia | LD OnLine.

The post Dr. Emily Levy on the Dyslexia Explored with Darius Namdaran Podcast: Effective Dyslexia Tutoring Strategies for Students appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Many children are fidgety at times, forget to turn in an occasional assignment, or misplace their favorite shirt.   However, if you find these scenarios frequently occurring with your child or you notice that he is constantly distracted, forgetful, disorganized, or unfocused, your child may have ADHD. ‎

Here are some signs of ADHD in your child to look out for:

• Your child constantly loses belongings. Papers from school seem to disappear regularly, and she consistently misplaces her notebooks, lunch box, folders, tablet – you name it. One minute she has her belongings, and the next minute you are helping her frantically search your home for them, regularly. 
  
  
• ‎Your child misses class instructions. You may have a brilliant child, but he constantly completes assignments incorrectly (and thus loses points) simply because he wasn’t listening to the instructions and didn’t follow the directions correctly.
  
  
• Your child is a daydreamer. His teacher notices that he frequently daydreams and loses focus at school, missing key information and notes from class.
  
  
• Your child has trouble waiting her turn. When playing a game or completing a group activity, your child tends to compulsively jump in and interrupt her peers rather than waiting her turn. This may frustrate her friends and others around her.
  
  
• Your child can’t sit still. When eating dinner, doing a homework assignment, or traveling on a plane, your child can’t sit still. He is constantly wiggling and squirming, unable to stay in one place for a long stretch of time.
  
  
• Your child has trouble completing tasks. She starts one task and then impulsively moves onto the next one before completing the first one. This leads to a multitude of unfinished tasks, assignments, and projects.
  
  
• Your child has trouble keeping his emotions in check. He has regular outbursts, both in private and public places, and can’t seem to contain his emotions.
  
  
• Your child makes careless mistakes. She might be a rock star at math and can correctly answer complex long division and multi-digit multiplication problems, but answers  4+1 incorrectly, possibly even subtracting instead of adding, and rarely self-checks her work.
  
  
• He is completely disorganized. His room is a mess, and the inside of his backpack looks like a load of garbage. Loose papers, notebooks, and old assignments are piled inside of it, and he rarely (if ever) cleans it out.
  
  
• She has poor time management skills.  She rarely turns in ‎assignments on time and underestimates how long it may take to get ready for a party, eat dinner, complete a homework assignment, or study for a test. This makes her, and possibly the rest of your household, constantly late or in a rush.
  
  
• He has trouble maintaining friendships. Your child may not always pick up on social cues, and you might find that his interruptions, lack of sharing and turn-taking, and impulsive behaviors negatively affect social situations. Thus, your child might have difficulty making and keeping close friendships.

So what should you do if your child exhibits some or all of these traits? First off, don’t panic! ADHD is more common than you may think, and it’s certainly not your fault. However, the sooner you can seek a diagnosis, the sooner you can identify a plan of action to help your child. Start by talking to your child’s teacher and see if he or she is noticing the traits above in class.  Ask the teacher whether he or she notices your child having trouble sitting still, remaining focused on activities, listening to instructions, waiting his turn, and staying organized.

If your child’s teacher notices these struggles, and if you are also noticing these challenges at home, you may want to consider having your child evaluated. An evaluation performed by your school district is free, or you can choose to have a neuropsychological evaluation done privately. The evaluation will help determine whether or not your child has ADHD (and/or other learning challenges). At that point, he or she may qualify for support services either through an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a 504 plan. You can also help your child at home by creating routines, limiting distractions, breaking down tasks into individual steps, and encouraging movement. The more proactive you can be at identifying your child’s ADHD and seeking the right strategies and services to support him, the more successful and confident he will be as the demands of school progress.

Dr. Emily Levy is the founder of EBL Coaching, a tutoring program that specializes in one-on-one home and on-site instruction for students in grades preK-12 in NYC, NJ, and Westchester. She is also the author of Strategies for Study Success, a study skills workbooks series emphasizing test taking, note taking, reading comprehension, writing, and executive functioning strategies, and the Flags and Stars Orton Gillingham student workbook series. These books are currently used at schools nationwide. Dr. Levy studied at Brown University and later received her Masters Degree in Special Education and her Doctorate Degree in Education. She has spoken nationwide on research-based methods for teaching students with and without learning disabilities. Dr. Levy is currently the Director of EBL Coaching’s learning centers.

The post Does My Child Have ADHD? appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Have you noticed your child struggling in school? Perhaps they are having a hard time learning to read, can’t grasp multi-step math problems, or are having difficulty staying focused in class. Their self-esteem is plummeting as schoolwork becomes increasingly challenging, and their struggles seem insurmountable. Your child may have special needs and, if so, the sooner you can identify these needs and address them, the better it will be for their overall confidence and academic performance. So what can you do?

For starters, if you see your child struggling, talk to their doctor ‎and teacher. Discuss milestones they may or may not have met and determine if their teacher notices the same challenges you see at home. If you feel these struggles are getting worse or think they may benefit from additional accommodations at school, you might consider having them tested. This testing can be done for free either through your state’s early intervention program (if your child is under age three) or through your child’s school district. The evaluation and specific tests administered may range, but evaluators will typically test your child’s IQ and will likely also test language, motor, behavior, and achievement skills.

Psst…Winter isn’t over, here are Perfect Snow Day Activities for Kids in NYC

IEP or 504 plan
Depending on the evaluation results and your child’s needs, your child may qualify for either an IEP or a 504 plan. An IEP details your child’s specific goals and a plan for what your school will do to help meet those goals, including specific services, like speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and academic support. A 504 plan helps provide accommodations for support within the classroom, such as additional time on tests, an aide in the classroom, preferential seating, and/or modified homework. Typically students who have a less severe disability (like anxiety, ADHD, etc.) and not a diagnosed learning disability will receive a 504. Students who need more services, including speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, special education teacher support services, etc., would receive an IEP.

Know Your Rights
Federal law indicates that every child is entitled to a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment possible. Three specific federal laws apply to children with special needs, including the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Ace, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). These laws’ specifics can vary by state, so it’s important for you to understand the procedures and criteria specific to your state.

IDEA‎ stipulates that a child’s issues must fall into one of 13 categories to be eligible for special education services. Section 504 mandates that schools cannot discriminate again students who have disabilities and are required to provide appropriate accommodations to them. Students covered under Section 504 usually have less severe disabilities or do not fall into one of the categories stipulated under IDEA. The ADA indicates that children with special needs cannot be discriminated against and must be provided appropriate services and programs suitable to their needs. If your school district refuses to provide appropriate services to your child, you may initiate a due process hearing to challenge their decision.

Focus on Your Child’s Strengths
It is easy to go into a bit of negative space when dealing with your child’s educational support. Remember to focus on your child’s strengths; they may struggle with reading and writing but may excel with math computation. Or maybe your child is incredibly social, empathetic, and ‎kind. Perhaps they are a beautiful artist, a great storyteller, or a whiz at building Legos. Praise your child for small accomplishments, like sitting next to a friend at lunch who seemed sad, drawing a beautiful flower, or creating an elaborate Lego tower. As you help your child academically with areas where they may struggle, continue to build their self-esteem, and explain that no one is perfect. We all have strengths and weaknesses, as well as areas we need to work on improving. Your special needs child can still have dreams and aspirations that can be achieved with support and guidance.

Dr. Emily Levy is the founder of EBL Coaching, a tutoring program that specializes in one-on-one home and on-site instruction for students in grades PreK-12 in NYC, NJ, and Westchester. She is also the author of Strategies for Study Success, a study skills workbooks series emphasizing test-taking, note-taking, reading comprehension, writing, and executive functioning strategies, and the Flags and Stars Orton Gillingham student workbook series.

The post Is Your Child Missing Milestones? When the Next Step is an IEP appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Your child daydreams in class, forgets to turn in his homework assignments, or struggles to express his thoughts on paper when writing. He may have difficulty sounding out words when reading or completing basic math problems. If your child demonstrates any of these challenges, he may have a learning disability or ADHD. Research tells us that using a multi-sensory approach is the most optimal way to help struggling learners develop their academic skills. So how can you help your child? Try some of the ideas detailed below.

Reading Comprehension

Many children with ADHD and learning disabilities struggle to comprehend material when reading. You can help your child become an active reader and improve her reading comprehension using a multi-sensory tri-colored highlighting strategy. Start by explaining to her that when she reads, she should look for three key elements: the topic, main idea, and important details. She should first identity the topic, which is one, two, or three words describing what the passage is about, and highlight it in blue. Next, she should look for the main idea, which is what the author is saying about the topic, and highlight it in green. Finally, she should identify the important details, or salient details describing the main idea, and highlight them in yellow. Note that she should try to highlight only important information (not every detail on the page!) and only words and phrases when possible. When applying this strategy, she should read the passage first, then go back and highlight the topic, main idea, and important details using blue, green, and yellow highlighters. Becoming an active reader can help her develop stronger focusing, reading comprehension, and processing skills.

Vocabulary

Many struggling learners have a tendency to avoid reading and thus have a sub-optimal vocabulary. Help your child build his vocabulary using a multi-sensory flash card technique. Say he has a series of vocabulary words to learn for school. To use this strategy, he should take out a stack of blank flash cards and write the first vocabulary term on the front of a card. He should then flip over the card and divide it into three horizontal sections. In the top section, he should write the definition of the word in his own words. In the middle section, he should write a sentence containing the word to add context. Finally, at the bottom of the card, he should draw a picture to help him remember the definition. He should perform this exercise for each of the vocabulary terms he needs to learn, helping him to not just memorize the definitions, but to actually understand the meaning of each one and be able to use it in context.

Writing

Writing is a skill that involves multiple steps, and one that is challenging for many students. Yet learning a structured approach for written expression can help your child develop stellar writing skills. Instead of simply starting to write (or staring at a blank sheet of paper), encourage your child to follow a three-step approach: first she should brainstorm, then write, and then go back and self-check her work. For the first step (brainstorming), she should create an outline, list, or web diagram to help her organize her ideas before writing. Then she should convert this information into an organized paragraph or essay, and then go back and self-check her work. For self-checking, she can try using an acronym like COPS, which stands for Capitalization, Organization, Punctuation, Spelling, where she self-checks for each element (one at a time) once she is done writing. This systematic approach can help your child improve her organization and overall written expression abilities.

Math

With math instruction becoming increasingly more language-based, many students are struggling with this skill. Help your child learn to effectively solve math word problem using the OINS strategy. When using this strategy (which stands for Operation, Information, Number Sentence, Solution Sentence), your child should start by reading the problem, then circle the relevant information, cross out the irrelevant information, and circle the key word(s) that tells him what kind of operation to use. Then he should break the problem down into four steps, and write out each step separately – O (operation), I (relevant information), ‎N (number sentence), and S (solution sentence). By breaking each problem down into these individual steps, he can learn to solve word problems in a clear and organized manner.

Students with learning disabilities and ADHD often struggle with many academic aspects of school. Without the proper strategies and support, many become disengaged, lose focus, and struggle as the demands of school increase. Try these strategies with your child to help him feel confident, engaged, and successful in school.

The post Study Skills Strategies for Your Child with a Learning Disability or ADHD appeared first on EBL Coaching.