Learning to read isn’t just about phonics, it’s about believing you can.
Croix chose to read a stack of books he recognized from his last reading program. I watched his face light up with each familiar cover. The goal wasn’t fluency…it was confidence.
As he read, I noticed something. He still leaned on pictures to help him through, but he was now starting to recognize words. He only looked at pictures if he felt stuck.
He stumbled. He paused. But he also kept going.
That’s huge.
When reading gets hard especially for neurodivergent kids, it’s easy to feel defeated. Croix often needs reassurance that what he’s reading is right. But, I saw progress. I saw him trust himself a little more.
At one point, he pointed to the book cover and said, “this guy is ugA-Lee (ugly) and I don’t remember this bully ant name!” I tried not to laugh but in that moment, he reminded me why we do this. Because reading should also be funny, engaging, and connected to real feelings.
The ultimate goal? That he doesn’t need to look to me or Dad for confirmation. That he knows what he’s reading is correct. That he feels capable. So when he thinks he can’t, I remind him with these stories.
This is how we start building that belief.
5 Tips for Boosting Reading Confidence in Neurodivergent Kids:
Use Familiar Texts Often Reread stories from previous lessons. Familiarity reduces pressure and builds fluency naturally.
Celebrate Progress, Not Perfection Every word they sound out, even with help, is a step forward. Let them know they’re doing great.
Model Mistakes
Let them see you mess up a word sometimes and calmly correct it. Show that reading isn’t about being perfect.
Incorporate Humor & Interests
Use books or stories tied to their passions (like dinosaurs!) and let their personality shine through even if they call characters “ugly” 😄.
Encourage Independent Problem-Solving
Instead of immediately helping, ask “What do you think it might be?” Help them learn strategies for decoding on their own.
Raising My Wired King 