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A child with ADHD learns to read with the same steps as any child: sounds, letters, joining sounds into words. What changes is the shape of practice. Keep sessions very short, do one small thing at a time, let your child move, and stop before attention runs out. If reading is still very hard, ask the school what help it can give.
Reading words rests on hearing the sounds in words, knowing letter sounds and joining sounds into words. These are taught step by step, the same way for every child.
Some children with ADHD also have reading troubles that are not about attention. If your child still finds reading very hard when they are calm and focused, ask the teacher what the school's reading checks show.
Five minutes of real attention beats twenty minutes of struggle. Set a timer your child can see. When it rings, stop, even if it is going well.
Do one thing per session: a few sounds, or a few words, or one short sentence. Two short sessions in a day, say after breakfast and after school, often work better than one long one.
Many children with ADHD focus better when their body can move. Let your child stand at the table, hop to a card before reading it, or squeeze a soft ball while listening.
Movement between tasks is fine. Use it as a short break, then come straight back to the next small step.
Tell the teacher what works at home: the length of practice, the breaks, the words you use. Ask what the school does, so your child hears the same thing in both places.
Questions about ADHD itself, and about any treatment, belong with your child's doctor. This page is about practice at home, not about treating ADHD.
Practice this in the free reading appReading games your child can play on a phone, tablet or computer. Every word can be sounded out. No sign-up.Open the app
Set a timer for five minutes and stop when it rings.
One task per session: sounds, or words, or a sentence.
Let your child stand, move or hold something while practicing.
Start each session with something your child can already do.
Praise effort out loud, right away.
Listen and Say the WordYou say the sounds slowly, your child says the whole word. No letters to look at, so it trains the ear first.Play free
Build the WordYour child hears a word and taps the letter tiles in the right order to build it.Play free
Read the WordOne short word at a time, such as sat, pin or dog. Every word uses only the sounds of the level you choose.Play freeShort a words worksheets, CVC word family practice.
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CVC cut and paste worksheets for beginning, middle and ending sounds.
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All 5 read and match level worksheet packs in one download.
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All 7 letter sounds level worksheet packs in one download.
See insideADHD makes it hard to keep attention on a task, which can make reading practice hard. Some children with ADHD also have reading troubles that are separate from attention. The teacher can help you find out which it is.
Short. Start with about five minutes and stop when the time is up. You can do two short sessions in a day.
No. It is about reading practice at home. Questions about ADHD belong with your child's doctor.
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