Wise counsel

I had a lady call me yesterday concerning her 9 year old grandson who is having trouble with his reading. I advised her to keep reading and interacting with him in a natural, everyday way to help him along. She was doing everything right. He was getting extra reading help at school, he had a tutor,his whole family was taking part in his reading development. I told her maybe they needed to take some pressure off of him. Show him that readingis fun, part of everyday life and for heaven's sake don't be testing him all the time. Some boys mature with their reading later than others. Some kids get scared and frightened and just freeze up because they consider themselves a failure. They are not! Encourage them, love them, but most of all read out loud to them in a nob-threatening, fun manner and they will succeed. And another tip, if they don't know a word when they are reading aloud....just tell them the darn word....don't make them sit there and try to sound it out. That tactic is truly a stumbling block to the fluidity and meaning of the language and story continuity. Relax, enjoy!