No one would deny that strong English language skills are a critically important tool in America and across the world. Unfortunately, many students suffer from underdeveloped reading and writing skills, weak vocabularies, and questionable mechanics (such as punctuation and spelling). There are many ways to improve English skills, some of which can be done independently and others which work best with guidance.



Perhaps the simplest and best way for anybody to improve their reading, vocabulary, and even writing skills, is by reading widely. I always become concerned if I find out that a student of mine is reading less than one hour a day. It doesn't have to be a solid hour of reading- breaking it up into two or three chunks is fine. In New York City, many high school students spend at least an hour each day on the train- reading during their commute to school is a great way for busy students to make time for reading. By the way, reading doesn't have to mean books- newspapers, magazines, and other short forms are equally valuable.

As an aside, reading is not the only way to enlarge and enrich one's English language skills. Any activity that exposes a person to rich vocabulary and complex ideas is going to be helpful. Here in New York City, we have a wide range of opportunities that are often overlooked. For example, I recommend attending theater, literary readings, and even some of the more sophisticated walking tours. There are easily dozens (maybe hundreds) of vocabulary-rich activities to choose from each day. Many are even free or inexpensive.

Sometimes, I am approached by parents who just don't know how to get their child or teenager to read more. With young children, the task is easier. First of all, I would suggest creating time for the whole family to read. This could mean reading to your child, having your child read to you, or just sitting near each other while you both read. I would also suggest being very non-judgmental about what your child chooses to read. Comic books may not be particularly sophisticated and reading The Chamber of Secrets for the twelfth time may seem dreadfully boring, but reading is one area where quantity really does seem to be more important than quality. Of course, if you have a moral issue with something that your child selects, you have to step in, but other than that, I would not pressure a child to choose books that appeal to you.

It's much more difficult for parents to influence whether or not their teenager reads than whether or not their pre-adolescent child reads. If you are concerned about your teenager not reading, you may want to consider finding the right tutor to help you. I have had significant success by forming small book clubs (sometimes just myself and the student, sometimes myself and several students). In general, I arrange these book clubs so that we meet once a week for about an hour. In my experience, starting out with the expectation that students will read about 100 pages per week and gradually work up to reading about 300 pages per week works well. Selecting the right books is obviously critical. In order to be successful, the books selected have to be carefully tailored to appeal to the students involved. This is one of the areas where tutoring becomes more of an art than a science.

Just as the only way to become a strong reader is to read, the only way to become a strong writer is to write. Unfortunately, it is difficult for school teachers to teach writing because grading dozens or hundreds of essays or papers is astonishingly time consuming. For this reason, many students simply do not get the writing practice they need in school. Especially with elementary school age children, parents can do a great deal to encourage writing. Making writing a letter to grandma and grandpa a tradition is one great way to encourage regular writing in a deeply meaningful way.

Some students struggle with writing much more than other students. If your child has a particularly hard time with writing or you've recently realized that your teenager can't put together a sensible essay, tutoring may be the way to go. Because writing can be so personal, I often find that it is much easier for a neutral adult to help children with the editing and drafting process than it is for parents.

As a tutor who has helped quite a few children and teenagers dramatically improve their reading and/or writing abilities, I have come to the conclusion that, in most cases, practice really is the answer. Of course, in situations where dyslexia or some other learning disability is present, additional treatment by a learning specialist is in order. Most of the time, though, the way to get results- often dramatic results- is just to make a habit of reading and writing. Getting there without tears and fighting is where the challenge lies, and that's where professional tutoring can sometimes make all the difference.