By Megan Hughes, M.A., CCC-SLP Speech-Language Pathologist
Does your child get nervous when asked to read aloud? Does your child try to avoid reading aloud in class? Reading in front of others can make even the best reader have difficulties. Below are some tips to share with your child. Working on these strategies/tips can help increase your child’s ease while reading aloud and build their confidence!
Teach your child to:
Use lots of expression!!! “Slow down, get into the character of the book. Read with lots of inflection and emotion.”
Keep it smooth. “Relax and look at each word focusing on reading with grace. Think like a dancer. You don’t want to start and stop frequently. Keep it steady and smooth.”
Break for periods and commas. “Be aware of the breaks like commas and periods. It can make a big difference in how the listeners (and you) interpret what you are reading.”
Keep your words strong. “Don’t mumble. You sound so much more confident when your words are strong and clear.”
Volunteer to read. “The only way to overcome nervousness or fears of reading in front of people is to make yourself do it over and over again. Remember, no one is paying attention to the mistakes you make. They only pay attention to the mistakes they are making while they read. Remember when I read to you and made 4 mistakes? I asked you how many mistakes I made, and you said ‘none.’ Others don’t recognize mistakes that the reader is making as much as the reader recognizes it.”
Enrichment Therapy & Learning Center has locations in the Iowa City, IA area and Des Moines, IA area. We provide individual speech-language therapy and tutoring as well as offering small group academic programs. At Enrichment Therapy & Learning Center, our passion is to help kids achieve effective communication skills and gain academic success. Contact us for more information on how we can help your child succeed.
info@enrichmenttherapies.com
740 Community Drive, Unit A
North Liberty, IA 52317
319-626-2553
infodm@enrichmenttherapies.com
5530 West Pkwy, Suite 300
Johnston, IA 50131
515-419-4270
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