Although, it may seem like a simple skill, learning to read is in fact an incredibly complex process that requires the culmination of numerous skill-sets.
Here are 3 common misconceptions about building reading fluency.
Myth #1 - Reading comes naturally to kids
Reading is a skill that must be taught in a sequential and incremental manner. Reading is a complex process of decoding and comprehension that involves building phonological and morphological awareness (as well as skills relating to the scientific components of language).
Many parents are told to build these skill-sets solely through guided reading when in fact research demonstrates that this does not greatly contribute to reading automaticity.
Myth #2 - Literacy is all about reading and understanding individual words.
Studies have shown that understanding a text requires more than phoneme awareness and reading fluency. Good readers can understand the context and link it to their own personal experience. One great way to build this skill is to work collaboratively with your child to summarize, predict, and clarify points in the text your child has read.
Myth #3 - Children will eventually learn to read if given enough time.
While it is true that children should be taught at an appropriate pace this does not mean that children will necessarily develop their own reading skills in their own time. In fact, as children get older, the literacy gap between good readers and struggling readers widens drastically.
With all of this in mind, we encourage you to feel proud of the reading progress you have made with your child! It is important to not feel discouraged during your child’s reading skill-acquisition process because learning to read is not a cookie-cutter process. Happy reading!