You have selected a reading intervention program for your child. Now what? How do you help your child succeed? They really need a win, and you want to be sure they get each possible success.

Advocating for your child

First, we want to assure you that advocating for your child and providing the tools needed for them to succeed should be celebrated. Share that celebration with your child. Finding the right program and community is a big deal.

Now that you have committed to a program, you will want to set realistic expectations with your child and their instructor. Talk with your child about the experience and give hope for their success. Assure them that they can learn to read with the right tools. 

You are providing tools to support them. You are with them on this journey and they will be watching you. They learn strength, grace, and determination from you. They are thinking, show me the way. Remember they want to read, learn, and succeed. You are their first line of defense against backsliding self-confidence.

Setting Realistic Expectations

Setting realistic expectations for your child’s progress is as important as selecting a program for them. You should expect a year-round program. Remember, consistency is key to moving forward. Your child needs to know that learning is a building process. It takes practice just like soccer, baseball, dancing, music, and other activities they are already enjoying.  

Each session is a one-on-one lesson. Your child will not feel like they have run out of time. Struggling readers require time more than anything. In their world, time feels fleeting. They are always running out of time to finish their reading, time to complete assignments, and time to process new information.

Since JUMP Reading’s primary focus is mastery. Your child can accomplish as much as possible but move as slowly as needed when reaching a learning barrier. The beauty of one-on-one, individualized services is that every step master is a success.

Monitor Progress

How do you know if your child is progressing?  Parents and teachers should see improvement within the first couple months. 

A child’s reading skills improve more rapidly than their spelling skills. Reading is consumption of information and is significantly easier than production of information such as spelling. Consider eating is an easier task than mixing the right ingredients and cooking. Spelling is similar in nature. As your child progresses though instruction and mastery of skills, their reading skills tend to surpass their spelling skills. Their sessions will continue to focus on both reading and spelling but setting reasonable expectations is important!

Typically, closing the achievement potential gap requires two to three years of reading intervention. Concepts systematically build on each other with year-round program sessions. Consistent year-round sessions give stability to the learning and skills mastery process. Self-confidence occurs with each success and momentum to overcome learning barriers builds. Summer learning loss is avoided. 

Stay the Course

Improvement can take place within months but often requires years to close the achievement gap. Dramatic improvement does not always mean quick improvement. Remember, you can expect reading to improve faster than spelling.

Struggling readers, with or without dyslexia, respond to Orton-Gillingham instruction. Their learning progress is largely contingent on commitment to the program. At a minimum, they need two, nonconsecutive hours of instruction per week to help meet their full potential.

When your child’s reading potential meets their reading achievement, the program discontinues and your child graduates from JUMP Reading. Celebrate each step of the journey. Progress can be fun, exciting, and exhilarating for both of you. The first step is finding and committing to your community.

Be tenacious.  Don’t give up.  Your child will make it!