Ask The Reading Tutor

Why Do Children Fall Behind In School?

In my experience, children typically fall behind in school due to some form of lack of instruction. Perhaps they missed the instruction due to an absence, weren’t paying close enough attention when the lesson was presented, the material wasn’t repeated, or it wasn’t presented in their preferential learning style. Of course there are many reasons children don’t perform well in a subject area or fall behind. Be that as it may, offering customized lessons through tutoring and homeschooling tailored to specific educational needs is the key to success now and in the future.

What are some strategies used to determine the theme of a text?

In order to determine the central ideas or theme of a text, effective readers use a variety of strategies. Good readers know to ask questions before reading, while reading, and upon the conclusion of reading a text to gather information. They are able to ask and answer through rereading or close reading , who, what, where, when, why, and how questions. For example, when students ask and answer “why” questions they elaborate and explain the information making for easier recall later on. Strong readers can decipher if what they read is clear to them or not. They also possess strategies to explain the big idea of the text or passage they read. All aspects of reading instruction whether decoding or comprehension may need explicit individualized instruction, taught by a certified teacher, in a tutoring or home school education setting, with lesson plans designed specifically for your child’s progress.