Just like two snowflakes are not alike, neither are any two readers. Reading is a very personal and individual process. Reading is hidden inside of our head, and it’s almost impossible to explain how it works in simple terms.

What kind of reader is your child? For some parents, the answer to this questions is really simple. He isn’t a reader at all! My son just doesn’t read. He thinks it’s hard and boring. For others of you, the answer might be: my kid reads sometimes when he really likes something; or she is reading all the time and loves reading.

Reading is just like any action: part ability, part attitude, and part practice. You have to know what your kid’s strengths are, how he or she feels about reading and what parts need practice.

Reading specialist will be able to point out if your son has any difficulty with decoding or comprehension. Decoding is the ability to sound the words out and not stumble on pronouncing long and challenging words like commensurate or equanimity.

Decoding is hard to teach without special training. I recommend Wilson Reading Technique. Reading Comprehension, on the other hand, CAN be taught by a parent and we usually team up with parents to achieve best results.

If your child continuously spends time watching YouTube videos or playing computer games, there is a big chance he or she has a difficult time with language processing and need help.

Can they just learn it in school?

Yes, comprehension strategies are taught in school, most of the time. However, there is a significant problem with HOW comprehension strategies are presented. Most of the time kids feel disengaged and bored during classroom reading. It’s impossible for a teacher to cater to individual reader’s needs and as we said before, no two readers are alike. When I or one of my instructors is sitting in front of a kid, we can quickly identify what their needs are. Is it decoding or is it comprehension? We can then serve directly to the needs of the child without boring them with irrelevant exercises they already know how to do and making reading effortless and fun.

You want to hire a reading tutor early before they start resenting the activity and building a negative attitude towards reading.