Learning to read is one of the most important skills our kids will ever develop, but when they struggle with it, it can be hard as a Dad to know what’s actually going on or how best to help.
Our tool for this episode is ‘The Brain-based Model of Reading’, a simple way to understand what’s happening inside your child’s brain as they learn to read and how you can better support that process.
To help us understand it, I’m joined by Dr Duncan Milne, an educational neuroscientist, CEO of Junior Learning, and author of “Teaching the Brain to Read”. Duncan is an expert in literacy and develops educational resources that support children learning to read which are used in schools across the world including the US, UK, Australia and New Zealand.
In this episode, Duncan shares:
- How the brain learns to read and the two different circuits kids use to sound out and recognise words.
- The difference between phonological and surface dyslexia, the signs of each and how they can affect the way your child reads.
- Simple ways to target the areas your child is struggling with.
- How to make reading fun which can keep your child engaged and build their confidence.
- How working memory affects reading and some simple games that can help strengthen it.
- The early warning signs that could indicate your child may struggle with reading.
- When it might be worth getting a tutor or professional assessment.
- The simple things you can do at home to build your child’s reading skills.
- Why you should focus on finding something your child enjoys reading.
KEY QUOTES
“Giving the gift of reading is like giving children a time machine.”
“We need to really make that effort to model excellent language and read to our children.”
“If you can make it fun, you can turn on learning.”
MORE ABOUT DUNCAN
- Find out more about Junior Learning via the website
- Follow Duncan on LinkedIn.
BRAIN-BASED MODEL OF READING RESOURCES
Buy Dr Milne’s kids book “How My Brain Learns to Read” to help you and your children understand what their brain is doing when learning to reading
GET INVOLVED WITH THE PODCAST ONLINE
SUPPORTING RESEARCH
Download a compilation of the papers and books used to research this topic.
Podcast produced by The Podcast Butler
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