Activity 3: Past Progress Reflection

Purpose: Help your child see growth they’ve already made

Time Required: 10-15 minutes

What You’ll Need:

• Books your child read 3-6 months ago
• Books your child reads now
• Cozy space to sit together

Instructions:

Step 1: Gather Old Books

Find 2-3 books your child read (or tried to read) 3-6 months ago. If you don’t have the actual books, find similar ones at the same level.

Step 2: Revisit Together

Sit down with your child and these old books. Say:

“Remember when you were reading books like this? Let’s look at them together.”

Step 3: Notice the Difference

Let your child flip through and read a page or two. Then ask:

• “Could you read these easily back then? How about now?”
• “What feels different now?”
• “What have you learned since then?”

Step 4: Make It Concrete

Help them articulate specific growth:

“Six months ago, this word ‘beautiful’ was really hard for you. Now you read it without even thinking. That’s huge!”

“Look—you used to need help on every page. Now you can read a whole page by yourself.”

Step 5: Connect to Future

“If you grew this much in 6 months, imagine where you’ll be 6 months from now!”

Extension:

Create a “Then and Now” chart:

• Six Months Ago: Read 5-10 words per page independently
• Now: Read whole pages independently
• Six Months From Now: Will read whole chapters independently!

Why This Matters: Kids with learning differences often feel “stuck.” This activity proves they’re not—they’re growing. They just needed someone to show them the evidence.