By Beverly Richards
As the President of the Marion County Chapter of Read Aloud West Virginia, you might assume I was always a great reader. I even have my Master’s Degree in Reading; therefore, it sounds a little crazy when I say that I didn’t believe reading was “fun” until I became an adult.
Reading as a child was never easy for me, no matter how hard I tried. I would practice regularly, but it just never seemed easy or enjoyable. I had many smart friends who were great readers and excelled in school. They were always in the “Blue Birds” reading group, reserved for the best readers. I always made good grades, but reading didn’t come easily to me the way it did for my friends. I strived to be a “Blue Bird” and achieved my goal for a short time, until being demoted again. I wondered what was wrong with me.
I remember my dad and grandmother reading stories to me when I was growing up, and I loved it! My grandmother was a teacher, and she read with many voices and a lot of inflection. But when I tried to read to myself, I read very slowly and had to reread things over and over to understand and make sense of the story.
Even so, I really wanted to be a teacher just like my grandmother. I worked hard to get the grades I needed to get a degree in elementary education. I realized that reading should be easier than it was, so I decided to also get a certificate to teach children with learning disabilities. I reasoned that if I studied this field, I would learn strategies that would not only help me better educate the children in my care but would also help me to improve my own reading experiences. I learned a lot, and I did see an improvement in my own reading comprehension, but it was still difficult.
There had to be more. I decided to get my Master’s in Reading from WVU, and this is what turned the corner for me. In my Master’s program, I discovered how enjoyable and fun reading could be, especially when reading books I chose! I found myself excited about reading and teaching reading to others. I am so glad that I didn’t give up, because I truly love to read now. I like to read for information, pleasure, and for self-help. I also read to my granddaughter all the time and many other children too! I even create read aloud videos for children to enjoy. Quite the turnaround from where I started!
Please know that if reading is hard for you or your child, I’m positive you are NOT the only one going through this. Yes, practice always helps. Creating pictures in your mind of what you are reading is important. Experiences are helpful when you think about how what you already know relates to what you are reading.
But, perhaps the most important thing is choice! Find a book that you or your child is interested in reading and read it! You will be surprised how much enjoyment and growth can come from spending time in a good book. You may struggle and get discouraged when comparing yourself to others like I did, but I hope you won’t give up. Reading is magical, and it can take you to places you never realized were there. Take it from someone who’s been there — it’s worth the effort.