Need ACT tips for slow reader - UPDATED AGAIN

[klmama]

My dc is a slow reader.  (ETA:  Dc is able to read quickly, just can't remember it - needs to visualize, so reads slowly.)  On the ACT practice tests, dc does very well with the problems that are completed, but too many aren't completed because of time, particularly on the reading section.  Dc is scheduled for the Oct. 22 test, so not much time to improve.  Besides just practicing the testing format with more practice tests, do you have any other ideas?  Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

UPDATE:  We were just talking about this again, as dc is still struggling despite practice.  Dc just mentioned that another reason for reading so slowly, besides the need to visualize, is that after a few seconds of trying to focus eyes on the page, everything gets blurry and dc needs to blink to see clearly again.  Dc says it's always been this way.  I have the same problem with my weaker eye, but dc has always passed eye exams with flying colors.  Any ideas for helping eyesight not get blurry?  Any ideas for addressing this new wrinkle? 

 

_{(CC is starting to look good - no need for the ACT there....)}

 

UPDATED AGAIN:  Dc's new reading glasses are exactly what was needed!  We went to a new optometrist (not the developmental one, but still new to us) and she was extremely helpful.  Dc's eyes are still 20/20, but the doctor said dc is very slightly far-sighted and that's why there is some blurring with reading.  Thank you again to everyone who contributed to this thread.  If I hadn't been trying to find ways to help dc increase reading speed, I don't know if dc would ever have mentioned the blurred vision while reading. 

 

 

 

Edited October 22, 2016 by klmama

[wapiti]

Have you tried the SAT?  There may be slightly more time per question.

[EKS]

Have you tried the SAT?  There may be slightly more time per question.

 

Agreeing with this.  Also, the SAT seems to be much more like the ACT now, with the exception that the math problems are essentially all word problems.

[Arcadia]

My slow reader did well on English and Math while average on Reading and Science. My fast reader also did less well on Reading and Science. For my kids, fatigue is partially to blame as they do well on the practice tests if they do the sections separately with long snack breaks but not so well in one sitting with one toilet break.

For my slow reader, educated guessing help. Also since there are no penalties for guessing, I told him to guess and move on if he is stuck.

 

I agree with trying the SAT as well. My slow reader is taking the November SAT so no idea if he will do better or worse on the SAT.

 

Good luck.

[klmama]

Dc is doing very well in English and science on the practice tests.  In the science section dc is able to read the questions and then find the answers in the given material.  That doesn't work for the reading section.  ACT math is much better for this dc than SAT, so dc won't be switching.  Thank you for the suggestion, though.  Any ideas for improving reading speed?

[TravelingChris]

THis wouldn't help with the Oct. date, but if the child is dyslexic and you get documentation, you can apply to ACT for extra time.  Getting my dd's dyslexia documented meant that she was given enough time to actually read for both the SAT and ACT and then also assured her of having enough time to read tests in college.

[klmama]

Dc is able to read quickly, but won't remember it when answering the questions.  Dc needs to visualize what is read in order to retain it, and that takes time.  If there's a diagnosis for needing to visualize, I'd be happy to learn what it is!

[swimmermom3]

My youngest is a very slow reader with high comprehension. His reading speed was problematic for the ACT as well as AP exams.  He had to "drill and kill."  There was simply no other way than for him to test and retest and get a feel for the timing when preparing for the ACT.  He was able to raise his composite score by 5 points, which was enough to take him to a different competitive level.  I disliked spending that much time in test prep, especially as this wasn't even with regards to knowledge, only speed, but it was worth it.

[hopskipjump]

My youngest is a very slow reader with high comprehension. His reading speed was problematic for the ACT as well as AP exams. He had to "drill and kill." There was simply no other way than for him to test and retest and get a feel for the timing when preparing for the ACT. He was able to raise his composite score by 5 points, which was enough to take him to a different competitive level. I disliked spending that much time in test prep, especially as this wasn't even with regards to knowledge, only speed, but it was worth it.

Agreeing with ^^^^. That's what we had to do with dd1. She wound up scoring nearly perfect on the reading portion the final time she took the test (her reading score was originally considerably lower than the other sections of the test)

 

Just lots and lots of timed drills and practice tests.

[klmama]

Agreeing with ^^^^. That's what we had to do with dd1. She wound up scoring nearly perfect on the reading portion the final time she took the test (her reading score was originally considerably lower than the other sections of the test)

 

Just lots and lots of timed drills and practice tests.

 

What did you do for the timed drills, if different than practice tests?  Thanks.

[MerryAtHope]

Read the passage once, and then answer everything he can from memory. If he doesn't remember, try to eliminate choices, but if that doesn't work, use a letter of the day (such as A/F--in other words, same position regardless of the letter). ACT doesn't penalize for guessing, and guessing at the more involved questions or the ones he doesn't remember will keep him from going back and re-reading (and possibly still not finding the answer). In other words, answering all of the questions that are easy for him first--he'll get to more questions that way than if he tries to be methodical and do them all in order. If he happens to finish the test, he can go back and re-check the ones he marked LOD. Try it out and see if it bumps up his practice-test score. You may need to tell him that the test is like a game--this isn't a time to go for "perfection," but what gets you the most points.

[hopskipjump]

What did you do for the timed drills, if different than practice tests?  Thanks.

 

We used sample questions from the sample tests she wasn't using (for instance, she didn't do the practice tests from the Princeton Review book or the Barron's... so we just pulled questions from that section of their practice tests). We divvied up an approximate time allowed for each section of the reading test and she would sit down for *that many* minutes and just do that one section of passage/questions.

 

(she only did the full practice tests from the Red "Real" ACT book). She did do the reading section of the first couple of those several times over at various times (the familiarity gave her confidence - she started to see and understand how to find the answers more quickly without having to read through every single tidbit of information they gave).

 

This book was also very helpful for her:

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-ACT-Reading-2nd/dp/0997517824/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1475903023&sr=8-1&keywords=act+reading

 

This book has high reviews, but we haven't used it - looks like it is set up for daily drills already:

https://www.amazon.com/Increase-Your-Score-Minutes-Day/dp/0071456678/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1475903023&sr=8-2&keywords=act+reading

[klmama]

Thank you for the suggestions!

[klmama]

UPDATE:  We were just talking about this again, as dc is still struggling despite practice.  Dc just mentioned that another reason for reading so slowly, besides the need to visualize, is that after a few seconds of trying to focus eyes on the page, everything gets blurry and dc needs to blink to see clearly again.  Dc says it's always been this way.  I have the same problem with my weaker eye, but dc has always passed eye exams with flying colors.  Any ideas for helping eyesight not get blurry?  Any ideas for addressing this new wrinkle? 

 

_{(CC is starting to look good - no need for the ACT there....)}

[wapiti]

I would ask a COVD optometrist.  Various developmental vision issues come to mind.

[ElizabethB]

Yes, sounds like a vision problem that a COVD doctor may be able to help with, but the vision therapy takes a while and most of the good COVD doctors, especially the FCOVD doctors, the fellows, have a waiting list. If you explain that you have ACT coming up and need quick help and are open to cancellations or being fit in in bits of time over multiple days, maybe they will help you out. Also, ask about homework to speed up the process and explain that you are a homeschool parent used to working with your child.

Edited October 15, 2016 by ElizabethB

[klmama]

:banghead:   That's me.  This dc is the one that reads the most of all of them.  Obviously, dc is also the most stoic.  All those years....  Thanks. 

[chiguirre]

I'd at least try out reading glasses from the dollar store or a magnifying lens (if they're allowed). VT would be great, but if you're under the gun this might help.

[Arcadia]

My younger boy has tracking issues despite passing the common vision exams. There is a range of distance to the book/paper where he read with less strain. So we temporarily read in that range to minimize strain while he practice focusing out of that comfort range. His sweet spot range is like 20cm distance from eyes to book/paper.

[OneStepAtATime]

With regards to the vision issue specifically you might seriously consider getting an evaluation through a COVD eye doctor.  Many vision issues do not show up in a normal eye screening.  In fact, you can have absolutely perfect visual acuity and still have developmental vision issues that affect you, sometimes profoundly.

 

Here is the website to get a list of names that might be available to you.  

 

http://www.covd.org/

[klmama]

Thanks, everyone.  Amazingly, there are three different doctors within 20 minutes of our home.  I will call to find out if any have openings.  If they say there's an issue, maybe dc can improve and then take the December ACT.

 

Even though dc's composite on the practice test meets the average for admission to dc's preferred school, dc is feeling discouraged by the low reading score (and now the science, as well, since dc has started practicing with full tests and is tired by that point), and it's not enough to be considered for a scholarship.  Thanks for any prayers....    

Edited October 16, 2016 by klmama

[ElizabethB]

Also, it may not help until you get vision tested, but many of my remedial reading students, even students thought to just have a comprehension problem, have improved their reading speed with my program, I explain and link in post 19 of this thread.

 

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/626432-struggling-student-vs-lazy/

 

You can also try large print, various overlays in the interim and see if that helps. I will link some overlays in a few. Blue is the one that has heloed the most of my students, then green, in the intirim. Also, large print has helped a few, and for some, double spaced large print in the dyslexie font, I will link that too.

 

Strip overlays, there are also full page overlays, it depends on the student which works best.

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E4U48XM/ref=pd_sim_229_5?ie=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00E4U48XM&pd_rd_r=BMCP43TANWM9ZQ0ZDS85&pd_rd_w=jlqUA&pd_rd_wg=7aCqh&psc=1&refRID=BMCP43TANWM9ZQ0ZDS85

 

Dyslexie font, free for home use, they did not send me spam.

 

https://www.dyslexiefont.com

 

Also, try various time outs with either closing eyes or close eyes for a few seconds and then focus at something far away to give eyes a break, find the best break time that extends reading time, it might be a trade off but it may help, try one a minute, once every 2 min, etc. You will have to mix up order and try every few days and every few hours if total fatigue is cumulative.

Edited October 15, 2016 by ElizabethB

[PeterPan]

Yeah, definitely get dc's eyes checked by a developmental optometrist.  Sounds like you're calling around.  Be sure to ask each one upfront (on the phone, before you go!!) cost of therapy per session, the lengths of the sessions, whether it's the doc or a therapist who does the work, whether their therapist is COVD certified, etc.  You don't want any nasty surprises!  VT can make a HUGE difference, even in just a couple months, but you want to know what you're getting into.  

 

The other trick, if you want to ease in slowly, is to start with a regular appt with the doc and not start with the whole long developmental vision eval.  That way if you don't like the doc you don't feel locked in.  But definitely ask questions upfront, no matter what.  You are not wasting their time.

[klmama]

Thanks for the tips.  I called this morning, and only one is still practicing in our city.  :glare:  That doctor is a fellow (FCOVD), so that's good, but other therapists do the work following the treatment plan she's laid out, as she only does the therapy with the brain injury and behavioral patients; there's a re-evaluation with the doctor every 10 weeks to determine progress.  One of the therapists is COVT, but the others aren't.  If they are following the treatment plan the doctor laid out, do you think it matters?  

 

 

 

 

[klmama]

UPDATED AGAIN:  Dc's new reading glasses are exactly what was needed!  We went to a new optometrist (not the developmental one, but still new to us) and she was extremely helpful.  Dc's eyes are still 20/20, but the doctor said dc is very slightly far-sighted and that's why there is some blurring with reading.  Thank you again to everyone who contributed to this thread.  If I hadn't been trying to find ways to help dc increase reading speed, I don't know if dc would ever have mentioned the blurred vision while reading.