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ADHD and Reading: 12 Strategies and Tips That Work

ADHD makes reading discouraging and exhausting, like trying to keep a kite on a windless day. But just like a kite, your child struggling with ADHD can get a more favorable environment to go with the flow and enjoy. To make it happen, check out the top ADHD and reading strategies I’ve used throughout the years of my tutoring experience.

Key points

• Tutoring still remains one of the most effective strategies for improving the reading skills of kids with ADHD.
• Brighterly platform offers reading tutoring help and free reading worksheets for kids with ADHD difficulty reading.
• Practicing active reading, reading aloud, and exercising with worksheets can help improve reading comprehension.
• Time management techniques like Pomodoro, note-taking, and summarization are also helpful in improving reading focus.

How does ADHD affect reading?

Kids with an ADHD diagnosis struggle with various literacy aspects, meaning they have poor working memory and reading focus, can skip sentences, miss details, and can’t recall what they’ve just read. ADHD also results in a slower reading pace, difficulty summarizing a sentence or even a whole passage, and memorization.

Does ADHD affect reading comprehension?

Yes, it does. Basic ADHD symptoms like distractibility, hyperactivity, and working memory limitations interrupt reading comprehension. These factors impact kids’ ability to understand the meaning of what they’ve read. Thus, their reading fluency is deteriorating, resulting (in some cases) in such co-occurring conditions as dyslexia.

How different are reading with dyslexia and reading with ADHD?

Dyslexia affects fluency, decoding, and spelling, while ADHD impacts the kids’ ability to focus on reading. Kids with ADHD mostly have reading problems due to various distractions, but have fewer issues decoding and comprehending the text. At the same time, dyslexic kids may have higher attention spans but have reading issues because they can’t process what’s written in the passage.

ADHD and reading difficulties with speed

Reading speed is also among the challenges caused by ADHD. The key difficulties in this regard are high distraction, which results in a slower reading pace, and the need to reread previous sentences or whole passages to recall what was written there. The lower the concentration, the harder it is to focus on reading and memorizing the information.

How to focus on reading with ADHD?

• Work with a reading tutor
• Set up a non-distracting reading space
• Motivate kids with a reward
• Try chunk reading
• Be flexible with reading approaches 
• Reflect on books you read together
• Involve support systems

#1 ADHD and learning to read with tutoring

Children with ADHD often need extra help to stay focused when they read. Expert tutors keep students interested, adjust the content to their attention span, and give them immediate feedback. Thus, choosing the best reading program for ADHD with an interactive tutoring approach can help children with ADHD focus on reading.

How Brighterly reading tutors help with ADHD reading comprehension and focus problems

On Brighterly reading and math tutoring platform, reading tutors understand how the brain of a neurodivergent person works and choose the approach to keep kids interested and reveal their talents in a friendly atmosphere. Most of them have extensive experience working with children who struggle with paying attention to studying materials and comprehending texts. 

Brighterly tutors pass qualification training in kids’ psychology to be able to choose the best ways to learn how to read with ADHD. During 1:1 sessions, they devote their attention to any mood swing, special need, and the case of attention deficit to gently return your child back to reading. 

Reading tutors from Brighterly combine entertainment with productivity to teach yet not overwhelm students, and this approach has earned a 4.5/5 Trustpilot satisfaction score.

#2 Set up a non-distracting ADHD reading space

Attention is a valuable asset for kids with ADHD, so try minimizing distractions for them. This way, kids can stay focused on the reading process without extra items grabbing their attention.

Helping kids with ADHD set up a non-distracting space

• While setting up a reading spot, remove all the toys, gadgets, food, and unnecessary stationery from the desk and the surrounding area. 
• Clearly differentiate and organize zones for activities like learning, sports, and leisure.
• Whether it’s a space at home or in the classroom, it’s better to choose a spot next to a window or in the corner for adequate lighting and a low noise level.
• Avoid too bright, contrasting colors in a reading space, as this can also degrade concentration on the reading.

#3 Motivate kids with ADHD reading problems with a reward

It’s always easier to encourage kids to read with a little reward for an activity or completing a task. Don’t turn it into a habit when a kid stops doing anything without receiving a goodie in return but don’t forget to praise them from time to time.

Why reading tips for ADHD include rewards?

• Giving your kid a small gift, their favorite snack or whatever you, as a parent, find appropriate adds excitement to the reading process.
• Setting up specific rules for getting the reward motivates kids to read, focus, and work harder. As for exact ADHD reading strategies in this regard, you can agree that you will give a reward each time your kid finishes reading a passage faster or when the frequency of distractions or rereading a piece of text becomes lower
• Consider making the rewards not just pleasant but also useful. You can get your kid toys that help concentrate, like fidget spinners, stress balls, or a Rubik’s Cube. 

#4 Learning to read with ADHD by chunk reading

Chunk reading helps make reading less overwhelming and well-structured. For ADHD kids who are unable to focus for long periods of time and find large pieces of text hard and confusing, this strategy helps to better absorb the information.

How to read with ADHD kids by chunks

• Break text into smaller pieces to help the kid properly process the information. Take regular breaks, write notes, and summarize what the kid has just read. This helps to memorize the information better, improve reading comprehension, and generally increase the attention span. 
• Apply the Pomodoro technique for reading within specific time intervals. This way, you can define the longest time a kid can read without any distractions and understand how to teach a child with ADHD to read by gradually increasing time intervals.
• Even though 25 minutes is considered a perfect interval for completing any task under Pomodoro, start by reading for 5 minutes. Then, if you see the kid is able to concentrate for longer, increase the duration.

#5 Be flexible with ADHD reading tips

Given the special needs of an ADHD kid, be ready to combine several reading approaches. Be attentive to your kid’s reactions to properly adjust them and choose the best combination that will help your kid succeed in reading.

Why adjust reading strategies for ADHD students?

• When you experiment and combine different strategies, you see what works best. Given your kid’s special needs, they deserve the most effective approach type for them, not a conventionally perfect one.
• Kids grow, their behavioral patterns change, and so can reading practices. Being flexible helps adjust to these changes timely while not losing the learning pace.

#6 How to teach ADHD child to read by doing it together

Reading together helps children with ADHD build focus, improve comprehension, and feel supported. Take turns reading, ask questions about the text, and gently guide them through tricky parts. Most importantly, stay patient and attentive — your encouragement makes the process easier and more enjoyable.

Why is it hard to read with ADHD without parental support?

• Without double-checking by parents, it’s hard to understand whether the kid understood the text and remembered something from it. Talking about what you’ve just read helps you see if the kid struggles to comprehend the context, a specific word, or a phrase
• Parental encouragement helps ADHD to be curious and feel less stress from reading. Tactics like rereading the difficult part together or explaining it right away will help the kid not forget that something was unclear earlier and review the passage.

#7 How to read better with ADHD using support systems

You can apply technology and visual techniques, among other systems available. There are various easily doable and interactive support tools to incorporate into the reading process and help your kid with low attention spans.

How do I help my ADHD child with reading support systems?

• Highlight specific parts of the text to help decide, memorize, and focus on the main idea of the passage.
• Use graphic organizers like charts or mind maps to visualize what’s written in the text, structure thoughts, and highlight the main idea of the passage.
• Read texts that are interesting to the kid by referring to their hobbies, favorite sports, and basically anything that can draw more attention to the book or passage.
• Take small breaks and do quick exercises to help handle restlessness and reset focus.

Practical tips for reading with ADHD

• Practice with structured worksheets
• Pick the right reading time
• Don’t make your child sit still while reading
• Set realistic milestones
• Turn on subtitles on TV and streaming sources

#1 How to focus while reading ADHD with structured worksheets

Worksheets that divide reading into manageable, concise tasks help students with ADHD focus while reading. Packed with interactive activities, Brighterly reading worksheets aim to maintain students’ interest and progressively enhance fluency and comprehension. Frequently incorporated in reading programs for struggling readers, they help children develop skills gradually and avoid feeling overburdened in this way.

Topics in free reading worksheets from Brighterly are grouped by the specific skills they are aimed at. These colorful guides can improve your kid’s command of vowels, reading speed, and reading comprehension with their help. Each worksheet contains an answer key for self-check.

 

#2 Reading with ADHD child at the right time

Can ADHD affect reading due to the wrong reading time? Practice shows that once most relaxed, a kid with ADHD learns better. In this state, they naturally avoid possible distractions and get more fun from the reading process.

#3 Don’t make your child sit still to read

Based on the ADHD and reading Reddit reviews, kids with ADHD are much less adapted to sitting still for long periods of time. So let them stand up and move around for a minute or two.

Experiment with setting up the reading space, like getting a standing table or trying new activities during a break. You can also allow your kid to carry the book with them while reading to process information more effectively.

#4 Set realistic ADHD reading milestones

Sometimes, parents have unrealistic expectations about the kid’s learning process. It’s important to set realistic goals and celebrate completing each milestone. 

You can always consult a specialist to help you set proper goals based on your kid’s real abilities and skills. They’ll also help you set up the list of goals that you can follow along the way.

#5 Enable subtitles on TV or streaming sources

Another advice from the ADHD and reading how to help kids Reddit thread refers to making their daily watching cartoons activity more effective. 

With visualized content supporting the written one, it can be easier for a child with ADHD to read and comprehend the text.

What is the best reading technique for ADHD? 

Based on scientific evidence and real-life experience, the best reading technique for ADHD children is tutoring. The supervised reading practice is extremely helpful for kids and parents alike. Tutors can give constructive feedback on kids’ strengths and weaknesses and adjust the techniques to try at school and after classes.

Start changing the way your kid with ADHD reads today!

No matter which one of the ADHD reading comprehension strategies you choose, try to make the reading process as interactive and enjoyable as possible. Your kid should be excited about this activity, and once they reach this state of mind, everything will be easier.

If you’re wondering which strategy to choose, think of what their sharpest reading problems are: 

• Do they lack motivation or find it difficult to memorize big chunks of text? Then try chunk reading together and turn on subtitles on their favorite cartoons.
• Are they getting easily distracted? Consider setting up a non-distracting ADHD reading space and using graphic support systems while reading.
• Do they experience problems with reading comprehension? Read to them, discuss your ideas together, and get reading worksheets for extra reading practice.

If you want to try the best reading technique for ADHD, book 1st free reading class  from Brighterly! Professional reading tutors on the platform will get your kid the practice they need and be attentive and flexible to adjust to their reading needs. It’s free and totally worth giving a try!