Reading is an essential life skill, and, we must be dedicated to helping students improve their reading abilities.  Although many students enjoy reading for pleasure, some still struggle with academic reading and test-taking.  The following are tips from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to help your child become a better academic reader:  

Tip #1:  Read, Read, Read!

Reading takes skill and practice.  One of the best and simplest steps to improve the reading ability for children is to provide sustained periods of time for children to read.

Tip #2:  Help your child to read like a writer.

Even in the early grades, children can begin to "get into the head" of the author.  Reading improves a child's writing, and writing improves a child's reading.

Tip #3:  Read a variety of books and magazines.

Most standardized tests contain short stories, poems, dialogues, magazine articles, charts and tables.  Children need to be able to read a wide variety of texts ranging from road signs to restaurant menus, comic books to classics, and from tennis shoe ads to computer manuals.

Tip #4:  Build your child's reading stamina.

To build reading stamina, you may wish to encourage your child to increase gradually the amount of time he/ she reads at one sitting.  Include short breaks, such as stretching or closing his/her eyes for a minute.  Set individual reading goals based upon doing the "best that he/she can."