12/17/2025
How is it possible that the top 5 questions I get asked by parents whose children are struggling in literacy, all have the same answer? And no, it’s not “get more tutoring” although that helps too 😂.
Well, let’s look at the questions:
1) How can I help my child be a better speller? My answer: Have them read for 20-30 minutes a night, at least one page out loud.
2) How can I help my child write with better descriptions and more detail? My answer: Have them read for 20-30 minutes a night, at least one page out loud.
3) How can I help my child use bigger words in their writing and improve sentence structure? My answer: Have them read for 20-30 minutes a night, at least one page out loud.
4) How can I help my child with reading comprehension? My answer: Have them read for 20-30 minutes a night, at least one page out loud. *in one paragraph increments, paraphrasing what they just read out loud.
5) How can I help my child with reading fluency? My answer: Have them read for 20-30 minutes a night, at least one page out loud. *in one sentence increments at a time, building up to a paragraph at a time, first very slowly and then increase speed.
Bottom line? Does tutoring help? Absolutely. But there is no substitution for making a habit of nightly reading.
Nightly reading is beneficial for everyone! It is proven to relieve stress, improve sleep quality, boosting brain function, improve vocabulary and phonetic awareness, improve memory retention and improve verbal and written sentence structure.
What book is your child currently reading?
