Books for Overcoming Reading Roadblocks

Learning to read is a journey, and every journey has its hurdles. Having some background knowledge on potential roadblocks your child may encounter can help you guide them on a path to reading success. 

Here, we’ve asked Julia B. Lindsey, Ph.D., a foundational literacy expert, about some back-to-school challenges children might face while reading at a new grade level and what to do to address them. 

About Dr. Lindsey

Dr. Julia B. Lindsey, Ph.D., is a former elementary school teacher and author of the Scholastic title Reading Above the Fray: Research-based Routines for Developing Decoding Skills and knowledge-rich decodable texts used by tens of thousands of educators around the globe. Her work focuses on providing educators with the knowledge and materials they need to ensure all children will become successful, empowered young readers.

She holds a BS in Psychology from Davidson College, a MAT from Relay Graduate School of Education, and a Ph.D. in Educational Studies from the University of Michigan. 

Find more early reading resources plus all books and activities at The Scholastic Store. 

1. A Disrupted Reading Routine

“Sometimes, children haven’t been reading as much in the summer as they are expected to read during the school year,” says Dr. Lindsey. “This can make the back-to-school time and getting back into a reading routine a little challenging.”

To try to ease back into a comfortable daily reading routine that works for your family’s schedule, build it back up slowly by using shorter bursts of reading during the day or after any kind of longer break in daily reading time. Incorporate systems and schedules that have worked well in the past and build upon any new additions.  

“It’s a good idea to help your child remember all the great things that they learned the year before by practicing, reading, and writing at home,” says Dr. Lindsey.

Make time for family read-alouds that everyone can enjoy, whether it’s in between extracurriculars or at bedtime. It’s a great way to bond while building their beginning reading skills. In addition, you can have your child join you in everyday reading and writing activities at home.

“Ask your child to help you do things like write out the grocery list,” suggests Dr. Lindsey. “While driving, play games with road signs and billboards like ‘Find the Letter’ and ask your child to say the sound the letter represents. Read books aloud to your child that match their interests, expand their imagination, or build their knowledge of the world.”

2. More Challenging Reading Material

“Another challenge that kids might face, particularly in reading, is the increase in rigor that we see from grade level to grade level,” says Dr. Lindsey. “For example, the jump from second grade to third grade in reading sometimes means that suddenly a child is expected to read a lot more multisyllabic words and may be reading more complicated narratives or informational texts.”

You can help make the transition to more rigorous reading easier by incorporating a broader range of books at home. Picture books and early reader chapter books like those in the Acorn and Branches series are filled with relatable characters and storylines that promote a fun and positive reading experience while providing challenges that sharpen literacy skills.

“Make reading multisyllabic words more manageable for your child by helping them break words into parts like syllables, learn about parts of words like prefixes and suffixes, and notice word endings like -ing and -ed,” says Dr. Lindsey.

Remember to also support your reader by recognizing the skills and knowledge that they already bring to the table.

3. Difficulties Reading Words

“If children are still struggling to read basic, single-syllable words in grades two and above, but especially in grades three and above, that might mean that they didn’t get enough instruction or support in that area in their earlier grades,” explains Dr. Lindsey. “This is a big challenge that parents need to be aware of.”

“At home, help them read by prompting them to try challenging words by ‘sliding through each sound,’” says Dr. Lindsey. 

Listening to your child read aloud from simple books and paying close attention to hear what kind of words are challenging will help identify any areas of struggle.

In addition, supplementing what they learn at school with at-home tools like early learner workbooks can make a huge difference in your child’s confidence and eagerness to try more challenging reads down the line.

“It is also a good idea to connect with your child’s classroom teacher or principal about additional support,” says Dr. Lindsey. “Get specific with your child’s teacher about how they are doing in their reading progress by asking questions like, ‘Is my child reading and understanding grade-level texts independently?’ and ‘Is my child mastering grade-level phonics concepts?’” 

4. Lack of Motivation

No matter what obstacles a child may ultimately face on their reading journey, Dr. Lindsey highlights the importance of motivating your reader by sharing in the activity together as they  hone their skills. 

And, one of the best ways to encourage your child in their reading journey is to become a good reading role model for them. 

“Show them that adults read, too, and continue to read with your child,” says Dr. Lindsey. “Try out different genres together, like reading informational texts. Make reading a book into a learning activity that goes beyond just the book, like grabbing a book about scientific experiments and then doing one together.” 

STEM/STEAM books are a wonderful way to introduce your early reader to informational texts and get them excited about early science, math, and engineering concepts as they hone their skills.

Whether your child needs extra help building their foundational skills or they just haven’t found the right kind of books to start reading yet, you can help them overcome reading roadblocks with understanding, encouragement, practice, and above all, pure fun.