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Building Reading Stamina: A Guide for Parents

Madeline Waters • August 29, 2024

Reading stamina is crucial for children’s academic success, allowing them to focus and comprehend longer texts without losing interest or getting tired. As parents, you can help your child develop this skill! Here are some effective strategies to foster and enhance your child's reading stamina:


  • Set a Routine: Establishing a consistent reading routine helps your child anticipate and look forward to reading time. Set aside specific times each day for reading, incorporating two sessions: one for reading together and one for independent reading. Consistency is key in building habits, so select a specific time each day for reading, such as right after school or before bed. Start with shorter reading sessions, around 10-15 minutes, and gradually increase the duration as your child's stamina improves. During independent reading time, use tools like the One Minute Reader program for structure and support, helping your child build confidence and stamina in reading alone.


  • Take Turns Reading Aloud: Reading aloud together can be a fun and interactive way to build reading stamina while spending quality family time. This practice is excellent for modeling fluent reading and allows your child to hear and see how you read. Begin with you reading a whole chapter and your child reading just the first sentence or paragraph, then gradually increase their responsibility by having them read one out of every three paragraphs, and then switching off each page. This method allows your child to build stamina in manageable steps, making the transition to longer independent reading sessions smoother.


  • Provide a Variety of Reading Material: Having a variety of reading materials keeps your child engaged and motivated to read more. Allow your child to choose material that interests them, giving them a sense of responsibility and keeping them engaged. When children are interested in what they are reading, they are more likely to read for longer periods. Encourage them to switch between different genres or types of materials, such as chapter books, comics, or informative articles. This variety can make reading more exciting and less monotonous, helping to build reading stamina.


  • Create a Comfortable Environment: A comfortable reading space can make a significant difference in encouraging your child to read for longer periods. Create a quiet, comfortable, and well-lit reading area by minimizing distractions like TV and other electronic devices. A cozy nook with pillows, good lighting, and a selection of books within reach can create a welcoming atmosphere. Including healthy snacks during reading time can also help keep your child's energy up, making it easier for them to focus and read for longer periods without getting hungry or tired.


  • Set Goals and Track Progress: Setting measurable goals and tracking progress can motivate your child and give them a sense of accomplishment. Set specific, achievable reading goals related to the number of books read, the amount of time spent reading, or the number of pages completed. Involve your child in tracking their progress using a reading log or chart to keep track of the books they’ve read and the time spent reading. Celebrating milestones with rewards, like extra playtime or a special treat, can motivate your child to reach their goals. By involving your child in setting and tracking goals, you give them a sense of accountability and responsibility for their progress, increasing their motivation to build reading stamina.


Developing reading stamina takes time, but with these strategies, your child will become a more confident and capable reader.

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By Anne Hauth September 23, 2025
Reading fluency is a crucial skill that bridges the gap between decoding words and understanding their meaning. One effective strategy to build fluency is repeated reading —a technique where a student reads the same text multiple times until they achieve a level of fluency that feels natural and confident. What Is Repeated Reading? Repeated reading involves selecting a short passage at an appropriate reading level--ideally at or slightly above the student's instructional level. The student reads this passage several times, focusing on improving speed, accuracy, and expression with each reading. This practice allows for mastery of the text, leading to fluent and confident reading. Fluent reading should sound like conversational speaking--natural and expressive. Why Does It Work? Research shows* that repeated reading can lead to significant improvements in reading performance. The benefits include: Improved Word Recognition : By encountering the same words repeatedly, students become more familiar with them, leading to quicker and more accurate recognition. When these words become automatic, the students no longer need to put effort into decoding them. Increased Reading Fluency : Reading the same passage multiple times allows students to build fluency--each time reading it more smoothly and with greater expression. Enhanced Comprehension : As fluency improves, students can focus more on understanding the text, leading to better comprehension. This improvement in comprehension extends to unpracticed passages as well. Increased Confidence : Repeated reading is a form of mastery learning. Many beginning or struggling readers don't often get the opportunity to hear themselves sounding like fluent readers. After reading a passage multiple times, they've mastered it--and they sound great! This is a huge confidence boost that motivates them to keep reading. Repeated Reading at Home Incorporating the repeated reading strategy into your child's home reading routine doesn't have to be complicated or boring. In fact, many kids already do it! You've probably noticed that they often want to read the same book over and over. Don't discourage this--as long as they haven't totally memorized the entire text, they're building skills each time they read it. To work on repeated reading with your child at home, here's a simple strategy: Use an Appropriate Passage : Have your child choose a new short text that is slightly challenging but still within their level. Listen to Your Child Read : Have your child read the passage aloud to you. Note any words that are difficult for them to decode. Read Aloud Together : Read the passage aloud with your child, modeling fluent reading. Do this one to three times. Identify the difficult words together, and provide definitions. Independent Practice : Encourage your child to read the passage independently a few more times, focusing on improving their expression with each reading. Celebrate Progress : Affirm how much your child improved from the first reading to the final reading. Acknowledge their hard work and progress to build confidence and motivation. Additional Tips Keep Sessions Short : Aim for 10- to 15-minute sessions at first, to maintain focus and prevent frustration. Consider Using a Timer : If your child is open to the idea, set a timer each time they read the passage. Note their improvement in time, and celebrate their fluency growth. Make the timing element a fun challenge, but emphasize that this exercise isn't about speed reading--it's about building fluency. Repeated reading is a powerful strategy that can significantly enhance your child's reading ability. If you're looking for an easy-to-use program that incorporates this research-proven strategy, check out One Minute Reader . This program uses repeated reading and gamified learning to help kids at various reading levels build fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and confidence. * Dowhower, S. L. (1987). Effects of repeated reading on second-grade transitional readers’ fluency and comprehension. Reading Research Quarterly , 22(4), 389–405. Kuhn, M. R., & Stahl, S. A. (2003). Fluency: A review of developmental and remedial practices. Journal of Educational Psychology , 95(1), 3–21. LaBerge, D., & Samuels, S. J. (1974). Toward a theory of automatic information processing in reading. Cognitive Psychology , 6(2), 292–323.
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A young girl is sitting at a desk holding a sign that says help.
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