You know it’s important for your child to learn to read, and for many kids, reading seems to come naturally. So, you may be wondering, “My 9-year-old can’t read. Why?”
Take a deep breath, mama. It’s just as frustrating for you as it is for your child. Some kids simply don’t enjoy it, while others struggle to make sense of it.
Recognizing they’re struggling is a great first step to helping them. From there, you can do the following things:
Start with the basics.
If your 9 year old can’t read, forget what they’re learning in class and go back to the basics.
Reading is simply making sense of words. Words are made of letters, and letters are made of sounds. So, start by making sure your child knows their letters and the sounds they make.
Don’t assume they know the basics just because the teacher went over them in Kindergarten. If your child didn’t understand something then, they can’t apply that knowledge to future learning.
If your child, struggles to see what letters are in a word, this a strong sign that you should have them tested for Dyslexia.
Find the Missing Links
Once your child has proven they know their letters and sounds, move on to simple words and start ramping up from there. In some cases, it might be wise to have your child take a proficiency test so you can identify knowledge gaps.
Potential Learning Disability
It’s also important to consider if there’s a family history with learning to read. Reading difficulties have a heavy genetic component that could help shine a light on your child’s reading issues. If there is an underlying learning disability that has gone undiagnosed, identifying what is causing their difficulty is the first step to working toward a solution.
Get 1-on-1 Help
Working with a skilled reading tutor with experience in tutoring 9 year olds can be invaluable to your child. If you’re unsure about an underlying condition, choose a company, like No Fuss Tutors, that has worked with kids that have dyslexia. Oftentimes, parents want to help their kids excel in school but simply don’t know how. A tutor can help fill these gaps because of their knowledge in how kids learn and different methods to make learning fun.
At No Fuss Tutors, we smile just as big as your child when they find the confidence to read. All of our tutoring is done online around you and your child’s schedule to keep them learning. Contact us today for a consultation to learn more.
