| The competitive nature of modern society makes it | | | | and motivate them to read. For example, children in the |
| imperative for all people to be well versed in three | | | | kindergarten stage are fascinated by birds and animals |
| very basic constituents of education-reading, writing | | | | so giving them topic such as 'Animals in a Zoo' may |
| and mathematics. In fact, these are the foundation | | | | catch their fancy and motivate them to read. |
| stones on which people build their careers and craft | | | | Build vocabulary |
| their stories of success. Yet, statistics prove that as | | | | Learning, or rather informal learning is a process that |
| many as 80% of students with Learning Disabilities | | | | begins much before the children enter preschool. It has |
| have their problems in reading. | | | | generally been observed that children from |
| The evolution of psychology and the study of the | | | | economically or socially weaker sections are less |
| human mind have opened new avenues of | | | | exposed to new words and situations in the early |
| understanding problems affecting and afflicting human | | | | stages of their lives. This is all the more |
| behavior and finding effective solutions to them. Yet, | | | | disadvantageous considering that this is the stage |
| more important than studies, it is a person's own | | | | when the children have a keen perception and are |
| observation, understanding and attitude that can help | | | | more than eager to know, understand and identify the |
| find the right solution. The same principle applies to | | | | sounds and colors of the environment that surrounds |
| finding appropriate ways to deal with reading disabilities | | | | them. Yet, owing to circumstances, parents may not |
| in children. | | | | have the time to indulge the curiosity in their children. |
| Identifying the reasons for reading disabilities | | | | So by the time they enter kindergarten, their |
| To effectively deal with reading disabilities, as a | | | | vocabulary is much less than that of the children from |
| teacher, you should understand that at the surface all | | | | middle class backgrounds or with parents who have |
| reasons for the problem may seem similar but delve a | | | | spent quality time with them. Studies have shown that |
| little deep and you will find that they vary from child to | | | | children from an average middle class child is exposed |
| child. In a nutshell, the reasons are the same but at the | | | | to approximately 500,000 words by kinder-garten; an |
| same time, different. They are same in that reading | | | | economically disadvantaged child is exposed to half as |
| disabilities can, based on symptoms, be characterized | | | | many, at best. |
| into certain groups. For example, some children may | | | | You can teach new words to children through |
| have difficulty in reading rhyming words, others may | | | | Phonemes or sounds that represent the letters of the |
| struggle with words that start with the same sound | | | | alphabet. The children enjoy blending sounds to make |
| and yet others may not be speaking at the level of | | | | words; they are also more comfortable reading words |
| their peers. Yet, each problem is different because all | | | | they are familiar with. |
| individuals are unique; their ways of looking at things | | | | Guided or contextual reading |
| are different and their reactions to a situation also | | | | Rather than introducing new words in isolation, it is |
| reflect individualistic traits. | | | | better to introduce them in the right context so that the |
| Talk to the parents | | | | children are able to associate the word with a situation. |
| To deal with reading disabilities, you must talk to the | | | | For example, take the children for a walk in the garden |
| parents to get a better perspective of why their | | | | to identify the flowers there. Tell them the name of the |
| children are facing the problem. If the parents are | | | | flower, let us say rose, when they see a rose. You |
| observant enough, they would be able to discover | | | | can at this time also play a spelling game and ask the |
| signs of reading disabilities in their children at a very | | | | children to spell the word rose. Now when the children |
| early stage. In fact there are many indicators that point | | | | go back to the class and read about flowers, they |
| to the things to come in this direction. For example, | | | | would be able to associate the picture of a rose with |
| children may have difficulty in manipulating sounds in | | | | the word rose and read it correctly. |
| words or they may not be comfortable with rhyming | | | | Appreciate the efforts of children |
| words. Then again, children who have had repeated | | | | According to the a report of the Committee on the |
| ear infections or speech delays in the early stages of | | | | Prevention of Reading Difficulties in Young Children, |
| their lives may face reading disabilities making it difficult | | | | National Research Council, "as in every domain of |
| to cope with their peers in their class. | | | | learning, motivation is crucial." |
| Observe the children in class | | | | Appreciation is a great motivating tool that can work |
| While talking to parents will definitely help, your own | | | | wonders and bring about the best in both adults and |
| observations will make all the difference in dealing with | | | | children. A word of praise can raise the confidence |
| the situation. Listen to the children when they read | | | | level of the children and build their self-esteem. It is |
| aloud in the class and watch out for the tell-tale signs. | | | | equally important to have patience with them. In the |
| What do they do when they reach a word they | | | | beginning, when they read they are bound to make |
| cannot pronounce-skip over it or ask you how to | | | | mistakes and mispronounce words. You may find their |
| pronounce it correctly? When you correct them, do | | | | reading hesitant with frequent starts and stops. Keep |
| they stop to pronounce it or continue reading? Do they | | | | in mind that a class will always have children from |
| guess at the word rather than read it? | | | | varying backgrounds and performing at different levels. |
| Then again, you can also base your observations on | | | | Sensitize children in the class |
| their writing abilities. It is an accepted fact that children, | | | | It is equally important to sensitize the children so that |
| by the time they reach the end of kindergarten, they | | | | they do not mock or laugh at the kids who cannot |
| are comfortable with all consonants in the alphabet | | | | equal their level of reading or performance. It is a |
| though they may make mistakes with the vowels. | | | | known fact that nature has a way of compensating |
| Your observations will help you identify the problem | | | | for disabilities; a child with a reading disability may be |
| and decide on the direction to take to overcome it. | | | | extremely good at something else, for example, he or |
| Dealing with reading disabilities | | | | she may be very talented at drawing. So if children |
| All children have unique behavioral and emotional | | | | laugh at a child's effort at reading, you can point out his |
| patterns and their own way of dealing with situations. | | | | or her talent in drawing and explain to them that every |
| You should keenly observe the children, identify the | | | | human being is gifted in one way or the other. This will |
| reasons for their disinclination to read, delve deeper into | | | | not only sensitize the children to respect each other |
| their emotional patterns, and then decide on the | | | | but will also help to build bridges between them. Once |
| approach to take. Studies have shown that the | | | | children feel that they are not outcasts but accepted |
| majority of children who enter kindergarten and | | | | members amongst their peers, they will be all the more |
| elementary school at-risk for reading failure can learn | | | | willing to learn and conquer their disabilities. |
| to read at average or above levels, but only if they | | | | Communicate with parents |
| are identified early and provided with systematic, | | | | The time of the children is divided between home and |
| explicit, and intensive instruction in phonemic | | | | school. There should be no gap in communication |
| awareness, phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary, and | | | | between the parents and the teacher, as they |
| reading comprehension strategies. | | | | collectively have the maximum influence on a child's |
| Select the right topic | | | | crucial developing years. Keep them in the loop about |
| Studies have proved that there is a strong link | | | | the policy you are following and ask them to follow the |
| between understanding or gaining familiarity with | | | | same at home for maximum impact. If need be, |
| something and then reading about it. In other words, if | | | | counsel them to be appreciative of any progress their |
| the children are familiar and interested in a subject, | | | | children make and also emphasize that they should |
| they will put in extra efforts to read about it. So it is | | | | never lose their calm in front of them. |
| important to find a topic that would interest the children | | | | |