Encouraging Reluctant Readers

August 5, 2024

Comparing children with other children is such an easy trap to fall into, one that brings undo stress for both parents and children. One area that many homeschooling parents may struggle with is desiring their children to be early readers and feeling angst when the dream does not become reality.

Let me say this post is not intended to diagnose or correct serious reading problems requiring professional help but rather to encourage the reluctant yet capable reader who just needs a little nudge towards proficiency. May today’s post encourage any parents who have wanted to pull their hair out over hesitant readers.

**Warning** This post doesn’t follow the 500-word rule. But for those hair-pulling parents, may these words speak encouragement to your hearts.

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Let me tell you a little story to begin…

With coffee in hand, I sat down at my computer and began typing out lesson plans for my then 2-year-old (you are allowed to laugh out loud now). I had been pouring over wonderful books such as Educating the WholeHearted Child and The Ordinary Parent’s Guide to Teaching Reading. I agonized over the best method for teaching my oldest how to read. I desperately wanted my child to READ and LOVE reading at an early age! I was going to make this reading process happen.

Out of respect for my children's privacy, I am just going to share that teaching my children to read has been different than I thought it would be. Reading is a complex and multi-faceted skill, one that I quickly realized would require greater patience and skill than I expected.

Now I’d like to share a few ideas that have helped me in this reading journey, most of which have been learned by trial and error. I hope these ideas will be a help to you. I had a little fun naming each section. See if you can figure out the pattern.

Adopt Adaptability

Adaptability, “the quality of being able to adjust to new conditions,” is a must for homeschooling parents. Often what I thought would work does not work. Sometimes curriculum that I expect will be a glove-like fit falls off like ginormous work gloves. This principle of flexibility, the calmness to change with circumstances, applies to the often-dynamic process of reading.

I must learn to be flexible when a reading book or curriculum just isn’t “clicking” for my child. Instead of forcing a square peg into a round hole, I need to develop different solutions. I ask myself the following questions when something just doesn’t work in my reading instruction:

• Can I explain this concept in a different way? Can I explain it from a different angle?

• Do we need to step away from this lesson and take a breather?

• In more drastic circumstances, do I need to change curriculum?

• Do I need to take a step back and readjust my expectations? More often than not, this question is the one I ask myself most often. Most of the time, my sights are set in the clouds, and I need to readjust and notice the sometimes small but exciting growth in my student right before my eyes.

Expect Effort

I try never to expect perfection in my student when it comes to reading practice. I am careful not to use negative or degrading comments such as, “I can’t believe you can’t read this! This is so easy!” Instead, I find any progress, no matter how small, and give proportional praise.

What I will not accept is quitting. I always expect effort, and I am happy to coach for as long or as much is needed. I coach, coax, and encourage until the student meets the requirement for the day. But never do I let my student walk away from reading time without even trying.

Ignite Interest

Nothing excites a student’s reading passion like books that are interesting to him. What I find interesting may not be interesting to my student and vice versa.

Recently, a kind neighbor gave me a set of classic vintage Disney readers (I’m sure they are worth a pretty penny on Ebay!). My oldest student has fallen in love with these books and contentedly sits for long read-aloud sessions from these books. I believe she peruses these books during her mandatory afternoon reading time.

This student also loves the Angelina Ballerina series, and when given the choice, she will always check one or more out from the library. The Angelina series isn’t top of my list for literary excellence, but my student loves these books and is motivated to “read” them.

Offer Options

Every day my oldest student and I sit on the couch together for her reading time. We usually start the day with this time, and I require her to read to me for approximately 10-15 minutes.

Not every day, but often I will let her choose what she would like to read to me.

• Would she like to read an Abeka reader to me (I don’t worry about grade labels; I just find what works for my child.)?

• Would she like to read from McGuffey’s Ecclectic Reader?

• Would she like to read from another level-appropriate book?

• Would she like to read a Bob book?

Personal choice powerfully motivates performance. As an adult, I like to have a say in what projects or tasks I am responsible for completing. Why not give my child ownership of her responsibility?

Understand Uniqueness

In a way, I have saved the most important concept for last. Every child is unique, and every child will read on his own unique timetable. Trying to force my child into something that she was not ready for only frustrated us both.

Learning to rest and be patient has been a challenge for me, but as I relaxed and enjoyed my student, I began to see more progress.

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Mama (or papa, or grandma, or loving guardian), don’t give up. Keep practicing with your student. Go to the library. Check out silly books. Check out serious books. Let your student wiggle while you read to him. Find every tiny measure of success and make a BIG deal about your student’s growth! Whatever you do, keep at it every single day, and gives lots of encouraging praise.

-Ashley

P. S. Did you figure out the pattern? Drop me a comment if you did!

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Personal Disclosure

As the author of Ashley Qurollo Blog, all opinions are my own. Any possible applications are universal in nature, not directed at any one individual or people group. My sincere desire is to help others by sharing what I am learning. Nothing stated on this blog is ever intended to hurt others. Ashley Qurollo, owner of Ashley Qurollo Blog and Website, is not held liable in any way for any application of the ideas and thoughts stated here.

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