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Teaching and Learning

Support Children with Their Reading

Knowing whether a child can't read or won't is the first step, and there are ideas for each, from TV subtitles to the five-finger rule.

  • 23 minutes
  • 6 modules
  • 0.5 CPD hours
  • Certificate

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What you'll learn

  • Tell a reluctant reader from one who is struggling with the skills
  • Make reading part of everyday life with comics, subtitles and audiobooks
  • Use the five-finger rule to check a book is the right level
  • Ask questions that build a child's understanding of what they've read
  • Know when to raise concerns with a teacher or ask for an assessment

About this course

'I hate reading' can mean two different things. Some children can read perfectly well and just don't want to. Others are struggling with sounds, blending or making sense of the page, and saying it's boring is easier than saying it's hard.

Telling the two apart comes first, because they need different help. A reluctant reader might be won over by a comic, a recipe to bake, a cliffhanger at bedtime or the subtitles on their favourite TV show. A struggling reader needs books at the right level (the five-finger rule makes that quick to check), perhaps a different font or text size, and questions that build understanding as well as decoding.

You'll also know when it's time to take your worries to the teacher or ask about an assessment, rather than waiting and hoping.

  • For parents, support staff and teaching assistants. Early years, primary and special.

6 modules

Open in order

  1. Introduction

    2 min

  2. Wrap Up

    2 min

  3. Identify whether they are a struggling or reluctant reader

    6 min

  4. Support reluctant readers

    9 min

  5. Support struggling readers

    6 min

  6. Share your concerns

    2 min