Three Reading Myths Debunked

 

Three Reading Myths Debunked 

There are several perceptions and a lot of myths surrounding learning to read. Many of which are still affecting the way we view reading and our children's approach to learning to read.  

Some of us grew up hating reading because of popular myths about reading. Below we’re debunking three popular reading myths! 

1. Reading Is Boring

Well, this one is only true if you make it. The truth is, reading does not have to be boring. Reading has been seen as a chore for so long that it has negatively impacted the way some of our children approach reading. When it is presented as a fun and exciting activity, it makes them eager to join in and learn all about reading. For some children, reading has been used as a punishment which scarred their opportunity to see it as a rewarding and exciting experience. We recently shared 3 ways to make reading fun where we explain various methods of creating an environment conducive to learning and activities to encourage your little one to read. By proactively taking measures to make reading an exciting and inviting adventure, we are taking the first step towards banishing the myth that reading is boring. 

2. Learning To Read Does Not Have A Structure

There is a popular misconception that reading is simply looking at a word and guessing until you’re correct or solely depending on pictures to guide your reading. The most effective approach to reading is the Structured Literacy Approach which  teaches structured word identification and decoding techniques clearly. This approach  teaches literacy at various levels - phonemes, letter–sound connections, syllable patterns,  vocabulary, sentence construction, paragraph structure, and grammatical structures. It is a practice that includes continuous evaluations. It entails a high level of student–teacher engagement, as well as the use of carefully selected examples and non-examples, decodable texts, and immediate, corrected feedback. While structured literacy is particularly beneficial for children who struggle with reading, evidence suggests that it is beneficial to all pupils. Teachers use structured literacy to impart new concepts and abilities in a logical manner. They teach in a clear, concise manner that completely explains ideas and techniques, allowing students to comprehend the alphabetic principle as well as acquire excellent phonemic awareness, decoding, and spelling abilities.

3. Reading Is Not Important

Of course reading is important! But why? Reading broadens our minds and provides us with new ideas. It has been established that reading keeps our thoughts youthful, healthy, and bright. Reading does, in fact, aid with concentration. Reading teaches our minds how to focus correctly, which is useful in almost everything we do on a daily basis. Whether it's in our studies, our employment, or even our personal relationships. We may all benefit from working on our concentration. Additionally, reading is essential because it provides a broader perspective on society and on people. Reading transports us outside of our closed-off cocoon, allowing us to experience the world from a new perspective, one that is not our own.

Now that we’ve debunked three popular reading myths, let’s help your struggling reader. Our Individual Reading Assistance Programme is ideal for struggling readers ages 5-10. This programme assists students with building skills in: 

• Sight words and high-frequency words

• Sounds recognition 

• Letter and word recognition 

• Phonics and phonemic awareness. 

It is designed to teach the foundational skills of reading to children with significant academic challenges, empowering them to achieve grade-level proficiency. Our dedicated tutors help struggling readers understand the basic mechanics of reading and help them develop critical reading skills that will help them develop a lifelong love of reading. Persons interested in registering their struggling readers for this programme can contact us at 4749819.