Q. 5. What are some of the reading problems that students face? Suggest ways of rectifying two of the problems.
Neurological Problems
It has been found that the learning problems in some children are not due to low IQ or poor motivation, but because of the some neurological disorders. Reading problems and disabilities which are the result of some dis-functioning or impairment of central nervous system is termed as alexia. A child suffering from alexia sometimes is not able to pronounce the complete word and sometimes pronounce even simple words by pronouncing letter by letter.
In some of the cases, a child with alexia is able to recognize the meaning of the word but not able to pronounce it at all. It is important for the teacher to consult to some specialist if he/she is not sure about the reason behind the reading disabilities. It is important that the cause of reading disabilities must be identified as low IQ or poor motivation or some neurological disorder like alexia.
Faulty Reading Habits
Many of the early reading habits, when they continue into till later stages of reading, are known to slow down the reader and the reading process. These are:
(a) Sub-vocalization: Sub-vocalization refers to the act or process of inaudibly articulating speech with the speech organs. The formation of the sounds of the words you are reading and even murmuring them aloud. With beginning readers, this offers the support of the spoken language when they try to interpret the written form.
(b) Finger pointing: Oftentimes, children do this because this practice is encouraged in school. Unfortunately, it’s not a wise suggestion since effective reading requires us to use eye movements if we are to effectively scan lines of print. Finger pointing can delay this development.
While it’s not the best practice, many children spontaneously go beyond what they are told and make the necessary shift so that they are scanning the lines of print with their eyes and not with their fingers. Many others, however, do not. Their visual scanning is so weak that finger pointing is the only way they have of scanning a line of print without losing their place.
(c) Regression: Regression is the backward movement of the eyes over information that it has previously considered. As the name sounds, it regresses or slows down the pace of reading. However, to some speed readers, it helps in comprehension of read passages. It is the opposite of progressive reading.
