Dependent and Independent Readers

Here are some general characteristics of independent readers, that is, readers who may struggle from time to time, but who have the skills to figure out the difficult parts. They are independent readers, though they may struggle occasionally.

An independent reader may…
-read fluently and quickly through the majority of texts
-struggle with a certain genre of text, yet has the skills necessary to figure out words, meaning, and can successfully read the text with a little more effort than typically necessary for him/her
-understand that reading is necessary to learn and be knowledgeable
-be able to summarize and recall details of a text after having read it
-read aloud with much expression
-enjoy reading, often picking up reading materials to find out what they have to say, even reading texts that are not required by school classes

And, here are some characteristics of readers who could use some help developing reading strategies that will turn them into independent readers….

A dependent reader may…
-not easily recognize words
-have trouble recalling information or summarizing what has been read
-not recognize the purpose of reading beyond completing school assignments
-not be able to recall events in a text, in the correct order
-read very slowly with limited or incorrect expression
-read in a “choppy” manner, typically one or two words at a time
-have only a small amount of words that are quickly recognizable (sight words)
-not be able to connect information gathered in a text, to real-life experiences
-stop reading or skip over words and continue reading when something becomes too hard
-grow frustrated with reading, avoiding it whenever possible

Remember, an independent reader is a reader that does indeed struggle with reading certain genres, etc. Yet he/she has the skills necessary to successfully read any text. A dependent reader does not have the skills necessary to read difficult texts.

If your child is a dependent reader, but you would like him/her to become an EXPERT reader... the answer is easy! Read on! Read, read, and read some more! Read in a variety of ways, a variety of places, a variety of genres, etc. READ. Do the suggested activities for struggling readers, except they will be easier, and a whole lot of fun! Still keeping in mind that your child is an individual and it may turn out that you are picking interesting books, yet he/she is not enjoying reading as much as you wish he/she would. This is ok. When you have a dependent reader, you have a child who is able to learn all the world has to offer.