10 Strategies For Struggling Reader (And How To Use The DaVinchy Chapter Book Series For Each).

  

1. The “Get My Kid Hooked On A Good Chapter Book Series” Strategy

Moms everywhere know this popular strategy for struggling readers. To reading specialists who want to use diagnostics and correctional techniques, this one sounds like hopeful thinking. Perhaps it might be, were it not for the fact that Moms everywhere have seen it work again and again.  

If you want them to develop a love for reading, you have to start somewhere, RIGHT?? You need to get a win. So we’re adding the DaVinchy Chapter Book Series to the likes of Captain Underpants, The Magic Schoolbus, The Magic Treehouse, Ramona, Junie B. Jones and other chapter books that have given kids a much needed boost. You can try out our first books with the peace of mind of our guaranty!  

2. The “I Read A Page And He Reads A Page” Strategy

I know that 6 to 8 year old ADD and ADHD kids have a HARD time sitting still long enough to read. But if you can find the right book, a strategy for a struggling is to offer to read one page and let your kid read the next. Feel your way with this…don’t push it. Let your son or daughter’s impatience tell you when it’s time to quit – or for you to take over. I’ve talked to Mom’s who finished a DaVinchy book in two days this way. That’s a big accomplishment for a kid with reading difficulties. And if there’s a smile on your kids face – you know you have a strategy that works – and a book series that works too!  

3. The “Talk About The Pictures” Strategy

Your son or daughter is going to love the pictures in the DaVinchy Series. I’ve heard this over and over again: I love that there are pictures on every page! Struggling readers need the pictures!  

So use them. Stop and point out fun or scary stuff. Or better, ask your kid to tell you what they think about the pictures the moment you turn the page. I call this technique “pre-picturing”. After your child has processed the action and “gotten into” what is going to happen next, the words be like dessert. He’ll be primed to comprehend the meaning before the reading begins. (Hint: a big part of reading is being able to picture the words. With this picture in place, the mind is pre-conditioned for the words.)  

4. The “Imagine What Happens Next” Strategy

This can be a variation on the talking about the pictures strategy, in that you can ask on any given page “what do you think will happen next?” But the DaVinchy Chapter Book Series is written with short chapters. So use the frequent chapter breaks to take a little time out and talk about what might happen next. The more you can create interest and involvement, and interest in the story – the more fun your child will have. So remember to make it fun!!! It’s not a quiz, it’s more like a game.   

5. The Excitement Strategy

If Captain Underpants uses the potty humor strategy, the DaVinchy Chapter Books Series is all about ACTION and ADVENTURE. Most everyone will tell you that boys crave this. But I’ve heard from a huge number of girls who are tuned in and turned on to reading through action! More than one parent has commented that the pace, the characters, and the action are all perfectly suited for kids. It’s way exciting – but it’s done in just the right way. Each of these books will grab your childs interest and makes him excited about reading more.  

6. The Cliff Hanger Strategy

Now bear with me on this one. If you read the first DaVinchy Action-Adventure Chapter Book, you will see how all our books end with a story “cliffhanger.” This means that something scary or exciting happens, but you don’t know how it will turn out. But you can use the cliffhanger strategy at any time if you are reading the books with your child. There are many action points within the book where you could just suggest “let’s wrap up for the day and stop here, ok?” This is a win-win strategy. Because if your child says, “No, I want to keep reading.” You can give in and say, “Well maybe just another chapter or two.” (wink!) But if they give in and say ok to stopping, you can use this “cliffhanger” as a way to keep their interest up. Speculate about what will happen next at dinner, or before bed time. Engage their imagination.   

7. The “You Can Read at the Computer”Strategy.

Listen, I know that we’re all “doing battle” to engage our kids mind productively when they are at the computer. Too often “educational” games are just kind of escapist mind mush. This is part of the reason we designed the The DaVinchy Chapter Book Series as a book to read on the computer. If kids want to have more computer time, you can relent and say, “Ok…maybe you could look at those fun DaVinchy books for a while. But I’m going to set the timer” Then forget to set the timer. (wink!)    

8. The “Make Some Popcorn and Read in Bed”

StrategyYou may be getting the idea that I think fun is the ticket to success in reading. (It’s the secret to success in life too!) So here’s a strategy my wife used to good effect. Pop some popcorn and climb into bed and read. This behavior was technically against the rules in our house. But having fun while reading took precedence!   

9. The “Great Big Hug Of Reading” Strategy

I know – having a struggling reader can be tense. But we all tend to make too much of these things. I’m older. My kids are grown. I can tell you right now that the time spent sitting in a chair next to my kids when they were little was among the sweetest times I have spent here on planet Earth. You can make this such a nice experience for both of you if you o snuggle up on the couch and put your arm around your little one and read the book out loud to them. Maybe ask them to read a paragraph on every page. Make it fun, and snuggly, and most of all loving. Reading isn’t all that you want them to learn from you.   

10. The “Make The Whole Thing Up Before You Read It” Strategy

Ok, the DaVinchy Chapter Book Series gives you this golden opportunity to do so much more than teach your child reading. You can fully engage their imaginations with these books. Before you ever read a single word, agree to just page through the book and ask your child to tell you the story by looking at the pictures. Make sure you ooh and ahh at the way they tell you the story. Be scared at all the right spots. Ham it up. Make them a hero for telling you a good story. Then, when you read the book you can talk about how the books were the same or different from the story your child told you. Make sure you tell them that they are a much better story teller than me! And write to me to tell me your kids good ideas – I love to hear them!