The reading journey is complicated, especially for those with dyslexia or people coming to English from a different language background – it’s important to find a support system that works every time. 

Reading is one of the most important tools on our educational journey. It’s how learners unlock independent learning, and when reading skills fail, barriers begin to arise between learners and the educational outcomes they desire. It’s vital to acknowledge the effect that this kind of intense reading pressure can have on learners, especially those with literacy differences like dyslexia. 

Looking at the immediate effects of Reading Anxiety   

Education is characterised by the near-constant requirement to read. But when reading poses a problem to a learner – anywhere between an inability to decode text on a page, to simply struggling with unfamiliar sounds and words – it can lead to reading anxiety.   

Reading anxiety can manifest in any number of ways, from physical anxiety symptoms like feeling nauseous, tired and restless, to ones that are harder to spot, like declining self-worth, difficulty concentrating and irritability. Many feel embarrassed that they’re ‘behind’ their classmates or fear that there will be some kind of sanction for their poor performance – which can lead to even greater anxiety developing.    

Some learners with reading anxiety go on to develop a coping mechanism that’s based in disengagement – instead of sitting through the experience feeling embarrassed or afraid, they choose to avoid reading as best they can, by finding alternative tasks and avoiding reading activities, behaving badly enough to be sent out of class, or simply disengaging by daydreaming or using their phones.   

If left unchecked, skills slip and engagement with learning becomes strained and reading anxiety can lead to learners becoming averse to learning in general, making it more difficult to make progress and feel secure in the learning they do. 

Long-term consequences and the learning journey  

Students know the importance of exams from an early age. Even from nursery and kindergarten, they’ll have seen older siblings and parents talk about grades and perhaps even destinations – they’ll have made the connection between poor exam performance and negative consequences, even if they’re not wholly sure what those consequences entail yet. 

This can lead to heightened reading anxiety too. And as learners get older and begin to properly understand how grades dictate future pathways, that reading anxiety can become a powerful force in their learning landscape. This means that that they’re not only experiencing it on a day-to-day level as they experience learning but on a much broader futures level too, which can amplify feelings of anxiety, poor self-worth, and disengagement from learning.   

Some who experience powerful reading anxiety might develop the idea that things are ‘hopeless’ – no matter how hard they attack a reading task and apply themselves, they still struggle to get the grades they want, so it feels like there’s little point in trying at all.   

Change the Narrative with C-Pen Reader 2. 

Reading anxiety is a prevalent drain on student mental health. Reading is key at almost every level of the learning process, and disengagement, anxiety and a skills gap emerging around it can have far-reaching consequences in terms of learning potential. That’s why we need to make sure that the support solutions we offer struggling readers can help them beat the reading anxiety as well as support them in the act of reading.   

C-Pen Reader 2 is a reading aid available from Scanning Pens that’s ready to take on new challenges, empower English language learners and those with reading differences, and create a more inclusive future for users everywhere. Reader 2 is a successor to the award-winning ReaderPen, building on its unique text-to-speech function and developing even greater functionality to support users both in and around the act of reading. 

The text-to-speech system is designed to foster the confidence to read independently and self-support when reading, to dispel the assumption that some learners may have developed a need to hold a human hand, and to experience no struggles when reading. It’s a holistic experience – from creating an immediate audio feedback of the text on the page to delivering dictionary definitions and supporting in other languages. It’s designed to beat reading anxiety by removing uncertainty and providing a simple system that can be relied on consistently.   

The device also features an AI-based text recognition system and an enhanced GPU to ensure that readers are supported in their learning, with the highest levels of speed and accuracy possible, making it even simpler and far faster than employing the services of a human reading support. C-Pen Reader 2 is created around a philosophy of Wi-Fi-free functionality, meaning that it can be used wherever learners need reading support, not just in a classroom – so they can access the range of mental health benefits that reading for pleasure can offer too. They can also be confident in the knowledge that they’re supported, even when a reading task crops up that they haven’t anticipated, such as when spending time with friends or travelling.   

It’s not only about the here and now – it’s also about future-proofing readers for further study, tests and the world of work, creating a bond of confidence between them and their reading support that can overcome both present reading challenges and shore up their confidence in reading as they go forwards.  

To learn more about C-Pen Reader 2 and its range of new features or for educators to register for a free trial, head on over to its home, C-Pen Reader 2 at Scanning Pens.