Help your student map out a plan of attack. How long is the book? When must it be finished? Plot out how many pages must be covered per night. (Be flexible. Some kids do better with longer, less frequent reading sessions because they like to “get into” the book, rather than reading small pieces nightly.) Check the library for audio recordings of a difficult book (she can listen and read along in her text). Movies or video versions of a book or play will also heighten understanding of the material. A good example is Shakespeare. Reading it and seeing it (even on video) are two totally different experiences, and the teen who sees it enacted has a far better chance of appreciating and remembering both the story and the characters than the teen who doesn’t. Some books really are exceptionally difficult; no 15-year-old should be expected to trudge through them alone. Look for study guides. Teachers don’t want them used in place of the real text, but they most certainly don’t mind a good guide being used to help explain what’s going on. If you’re really motivated to help (and your teen doesn’t mind), read the book at the same time your teen is. That way you can discuss it with her as she goes along.
If your child frequently has trouble with reading assignments, talk to the teacher. You both may want to look deeper into the cause of the problem, or discuss new teaching strategies that will help.
