Why Does My Child Struggle with Reading Comprehension?
Understanding the Science of Reading
Reading comprehension is a fundamental skill that impacts a child’s academic success, confidence, and future learning. If your child can sound out words but struggles to understand what they read, it may be due to underlying cognitive processes, gaps in reading instruction, or developmental factors. Understanding the Science of Reading and how structured movement-based learning can support comprehension can make a significant difference in helping your child thrive.
The Science of Reading & How Comprehension Develops
The science of reading is based on decades of cognitive research into how the brain learns to read. Effective reading instruction includes five key components: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. When any of these areas are underdeveloped, reading comprehension can become a challenge.
Phonemic Awareness & Decoding Skills
Before a child can comprehend what they read, they must first develop phonemic awareness, the ability to hear and manipulate individual sounds in words. This skill is the foundation for phonics, where children learn to connect sounds to letters and recognize word patterns. If a child has weak phonemic awareness, they may struggle with fluency, making comprehension more difficult because their brain is using too much effort on decoding words rather than understanding meaning.
The Role of Fluency in Comprehension
Reading fluently means reading with accuracy, speed, and expression. A child who reads too slowly or hesitantly often struggles with comprehension because their working memory is overwhelmed by decoding each word. Repeated reading, reading aloud, and structured fluency-building exercises can strengthen these skills, improving both speed and understanding.
Why Some Children Struggle with Reading Comprehension
Weak Working Memory & Cognitive Load
Reading comprehension requires working memory, which allows a child to hold and process information while reading. If working memory is weak, a child may forget the beginning of a sentence before reaching the end. This can make it difficult to follow multi-step instructions, recall details, or make connections between ideas in a passage.
One way to strengthen working memory is through sequencing and pattern recognition activities, such as structured martial arts drills. At Vision Martial Arts, students engage in step-by-step techniques that enhance recall and cognitive endurance—key components of strong reading comprehension.
Attention Regulation & Focus in Reading
Comprehension also depends on a child’s ability to focus for extended periods. A child who struggles with attention regulation may lose track of what they are reading, skipping words or missing key details. Structured movement-based activities, such as cross-body drills and controlled breathing exercises, help improve sustained focus by engaging both hemispheres of the brain.
At Vision Martial Arts, we incorporate mindfulness techniques, goal-setting, and discipline-building exercises to help children strengthen their attention and emotional regulation, which can translate to better reading stamina and comprehension.
The Brain’s Role in Reading: Strengthening Neural Connections
How the Corpus Callosum Supports Comprehension
The corpus callosum is the bundle of nerve fibers that connects the brain’s left and right hemispheres, facilitating communication between logical and creative thinking processes. Stronger connections in the corpus callosum lead to better word recognition, language processing, and meaning-making—all essential for reading comprehension.
Cross-lateral movement activities, such as opposite hand-to-knee drills, kicking sequences, and coordinated punching patterns, enhance corpus callosum development. These types of movements strengthen neural pathways between hemispheres, supporting reading comprehension in a natural, engaging way.
The Importance of Multi-Sensory Learning
Research shows that multi-sensory learning—engaging multiple senses while learning—enhances memory and comprehension. Activities that integrate movement, auditory processing, and visual tracking help children develop stronger literacy skills. Martial arts, for example, requires students to listen to verbal instructions, perform physical movements, and visually track patterns—all of which strengthen the same cognitive processes used in reading comprehension.
How to Help Your Child Improve Reading Comprehension
Encouraging Active Engagement with Texts
Reading comprehension improves when children actively engage with what they read. Encouraging your child to ask questions, make predictions, summarize passages, and visualize the story can help strengthen their understanding of texts.
Practicing Emotional Regulation for Learning Success
Many children who struggle with reading comprehension experience frustration, anxiety, or avoidance when faced with challenging texts. Teaching breathing exercises, visualization techniques, and mindfulness strategies can help children develop emotional resilience and approach reading with greater confidence.
The Role of a Structured Development-Based Program
At Vision Martial Arts, we take a whole-child approach to development, combining movement, focus-building techniques, and structured goal-setting to support academic and personal success. Our SKILLZ programs incorporate neuroscience-backed exercises that strengthen working memory, attention, and hemispheric integration, helping children become stronger readers while building confidence in all areas of life.
Enhancing Your Child’s Potential Through Movement & Learning
If your child struggles with reading comprehension, integrating structured movement, attention-building strategies, and frustration-regulation techniques into their routine can provide lasting benefits. Understanding the science of reading and brain development allows parents to take a proactive approach, giving children the support they need to thrive.
For families looking for a structured, science-backed way to enhance reading comprehension and confidence, Vision Martial Arts provides a unique blend of cognitive development, physical training, and mindset coaching to set children up for long-term success. Whether on the mat or in the classroom, our goal is to help children build strong bodies and strong minds, equipping them with the skills they need to excel in all aspects of life.
To start your child’s martial arts journey and turbocharge their development, click the button below to schedule their first class:
Vision Martial Arts
218 Medford Ave
Patchogue, NY 11772
631-707-5610
Author: Michael A Evans
Michael’s journey in martial arts began in 1985, and he now proudly holds a 6th-degree black sash, mentored by Moises Arocho. As the co-founder of Vision Martial Arts in Patchogue, NY, he not only offers robust martial arts training for adults but is also deeply committed to childhood development. Through martial arts and various movement techniques, he empowers kids and adults to realize their potential and shine. Beyond the martial world, Michael wears the hat of a founder of Forgotten Skillz, and collaborates on the enchanting “Little Laurie Science Stories” book series and the Ninja Née Science Education Program. Educated at the NY College of Health Professions, he brings therapeutic relief to many as the lead massage therapist at Massage LI.
Vision Martial Arts is a service of Synchronicity Coaching Inc