The Desire to Read

An important part of dyslexia tutoring is instilling a desire to read in a dyslexic student. Instilling a desire to read is, in fact, a vitally important part of education overall. A good dyslexia tutor not only gives a dyslexic student the skills they need to read, but also helps them become excited by the opportunities it provides.

Reading provides numerous benefits to children; the most obvious being that it enriches their knowledge. However, there many benefits beyond this as well. For example, reading is a tremendously effective tool at improving spelling; when a child sees a word spelled correctly over and over again, they are more likely to spell that word correctly on their own the next time that they attempt it. Reading also teaches grammar and how to write; by absorbing good grammar and writing page after page, a student will have a better idea of how to compose their thoughts and express them clearly. Finally, reading spurs the imagination of children and broadens their horizons in a way that few other activities can. By reading about many different subjects, a child can begin to have a better idea of their interests and how those interests can lead to an enjoyable career and life as an adult.

For a child with dyslexia, reading can become so associated with difficulty and failure that they try to avoid it completely. In my years as a dyslexia tutor, I have seen students who developed an actual physical aversion to books, turning away when they were confronted with reading. Dyslexia tutoring can help restore a child’s love of reading. By providing a child with the skills that they need to become a good reader, and encouraging them as they make progress, a dyslexia tutor can help a student start to enjoy reading. Once a dyslexic child has discovered the joy of reading, they can also begin to enjoy the many benefits of it.

Peter