Independent Reading Tips

Many LD children have problems with reading. My son is one of them. We've hired a private tutor to help him. She is hoping he'll be reading at grade level by the time school resumes in the fall. He likes to read silently. However, I'm never quite sure how much he's comprehending. I feel like he just skips over the words he doesn't know. Today I came across some great tips to help determine if a book he wants to read is written on his level. I found it in The ADHD Book of Lists, written my Sandra F Rief.

The "Five-Finger Check"

• The child reads one page from the book, holding up a finger when coming to a word he can't read.
• If there are more than five fingers up, the book is too hard for independent reading.

"One in Twenty"

• Select a passage from a child's chosen book to read orally.
• If the child makes less than one error in twenty words, the reading material is at the appropriate independent level

Another idea that works really well for my son is to "read" books on tape (we check them out from our local library) He chooses tapes that are accompanied by the book. This way he can listen while following along in the book. He's "read" numerous books this way and is proud of doing so (I am too!).