Reading & Other Learning Disabilities

Guest Post by Francesca Lopez, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Marquette University

francesca.lopez@marquette.edu

We all know that reading is one of the most important skills our children need to be successful. We are familiar with how reading to our children prepares them to love to read, and how a love of reading prepares children for academic success in the long term. But what if a child has reading difficulties? How can we as parents ensure a love of reading when reading is difficult for our child?

Although reading difficulties can stem from numerous sources, there are still ways to mitigate the difficulties to ensure it becomes an enjoyable activity. My son is a native Spanish speaker who began kindergarten in an English only state. The differences between his home and school language resulted in an academic experience where he was far behind his native-English speaking peers across the various benchmarks that attempt to identify children at risk for reading difficulties. To compound his situation, he had signs of dysgraphia (a learning disability that leads to an impairment in the ability to write).

Now a fourth grader, my son reads above-grade level. More importantly, when asked what his favorite activity is, he consistently and excitedly responds, “reading and writing…comic books.” What unfolded across his elementary years contradicts his early beginnings. In retrospect, there are a few things we did right that helped him become the avid reader (and writer) he is today—beyond the trips to the library and nightly readings.

Mom and Dad were always reading to him and around him. When searching for ways to nurture reading, most of us will invariably find statements asserting that reading should be modeled in the home. When parents read, children are much more likely to read. Reading to your child is something we are all told to do on a daily basis, but be sure that they also see that you read on your own for enjoyment.

Many books were accessible. Libraries can be magical places for children, and one is surely to find how important it is to take trips to the local library. But there should be an assortment of books available at home, too. We started out with a small collection of books for our children that has grown to a mini-library over the years. I can’t be certain, but I believe the presence of books has at least contributed to the fact that to date, my kids still request books as gifts (although as Legos come a close second).

Comic books and Captain Underpants were a parent’s (and teacher’s) best friend. When I was a 3rd grade teacher, the boys in my classroom flocked to books like Captain Underpants and Goosebumps. I was reluctant at first, fearing that they were not getting the exposure to the kind of literature that would prepare them until I realized that they loved to read. When my son gravitated towards Goosebumps and Captain Underpants despite his teacher’s concern that they were above his reading level, we made sure he was able to get his hands on those books while still exposing him to books that were more closely aligned with his reading level. Soon after first grade, my son read his first Marvel Comic Book. He’s been hooked every since.

One of the first things that happened after he immersed himself in comic books and books like Captain Underpants is that he wanted to mimic the authors he was reading. He wanted to create his own characters, and his own comic books. Consequently, he has been practicing reading and writing without us having to make it a chore—something that has led to his remarkable progress in both reading and writing. Thank you, Dave Pilkey!

Told stories. Because our kids love to read, they also love to tell stories. The fact that we join in and have made it a family affair has only fueled their love for the printed word. My son asked me long ago if he could tell stories that he made up and get paid for it…and aspiring to be an author despite his early academic experiences is a testament to the joy reading can hold even for kids who struggle with reading.