ADHD is a form of neurodivergence that can make reading more challenging for both children and adults. Reading tasks may feel slow or overwhelming, especially when you find yourself needing to read, re-read, and sometimes re-read again just to fully understand the material.
These difficulties can be frustrating and may cause anxiety about school performance or workplace tasks. Fortunately, there are strategies that can make reading with ADHD easier, such as:
- Breaking text into smaller sections to make it more manageable
- Listening to audiobooks to support comprehension and retention
- Taking notes to reinforce key points
- Using tools like highlighters and timers to stay focused and track progress
With the right approach, reading can become more manageable, effective, and even enjoyable for those with ADHD.
How to Stay Focused While You Read
Staying focused while reading can be challenging, especially with ADHD. Try experimenting with one or more of these strategies to see what works best for you:
Use Effective Reading Techniques
- Read aloud instead of silently. It may take a bit longer, but hearing the words can help you focus on each one.
- Take short movement breaks. Even brief physical activity can boost attention and help manage ADHD traits.
- Talk about what you’ve read. Discuss it with a friend, or simply summarise it aloud to yourself.
- Break the material into smaller sections. Tackle one chunk at a time, then take a short break and reward yourself after each part.
- Read it twice. A second read-through helps reinforce understanding and catch details you may have missed the first time.
- Make it personal. Connect the material to your interests, experiences, or opinions to make it more engaging.
Experiment with these strategies and combine them in ways that feel natural—small adjustments can make a big difference in focus and comprehension.
Incorporate Helpful Tools
- Audiobooks or having someone read to you. This is especially useful if you learn better through listening or find long text overwhelming.²
- Choose hard copies over e-books. Studies show comprehension can improve when reading physical books.³
- Use highlighters. Mark key points to maintain focus and aid recall.
- Take notes and summarise. Writing reinforces understanding and helps you review main ideas later.
- Use a bookmark or ruler. Sliding it down the page as you read each line prevents losing your place.
- Keep a notepad nearby. If a distracting thought pops up, jot it down and return to the reading—then revisit the note later.
Create the Right Environment
Your reading environment can make a big difference in staying focused and retaining information. Try these strategies:
- Adapt your space. Find what works best for you—whether it’s a quiet room or a spot with some background noise.
- Move while you read. Walking, pacing, or gentle movement can help prevent zoning out and keep your mind engaged.
- Eliminate distractions. Silence your phone, close doors, and make sure you’re comfortable—not hungry, too hot, or too cold. Small adjustments can have a big impact on focus.
- Read at the right time. Avoid tackling reading when you’re tired or fatigued, as it’s much harder to concentrate and absorb information.
How to Read Books Faster With ADHD
Reading speed can vary depending on factors like interest, focus, and the complexity of the material. To help improve your pace and stay on track, try using tools like a bookmark or ruler to guide your eyes along each line. This simple technique can reduce distractions and help you move through the text more efficiently.
How to Remember What You’re Reading
Boosting reading comprehension with ADHD can be easier when you use strategies tailored to your brain’s needs. Some effective approaches include:
- Read what interests you. People with ADHD often hyperfocus on topics they find fascinating. Use this to your advantage by choosing material that naturally captures your attention.
- Preview the material first. Skim titles, headings, subheadings, bolded text, and summaries before diving in. This creates a mental map of the content and makes it easier to understand the full text.
- Engage actively with the text. Use highlighters, sticky notes, or annotations to stay focused and interact with the material as you read.
These strategies help anchor your attention, reinforce understanding, and make it easier to remember key points.
Why Reading Can Be Hard for Kids With ADHD
ADHD can make reading challenging for children, which can affect not only school performance but also self-esteem. Reading is a critical skill, and difficulties with comprehension can create frustration and stress if left unaddressed.
Several ADHD characteristics can contribute to reading challenges:
- Inattention. Children who struggle to focus may find it difficult to sustain attention while reading. They might get easily distracted, skip text, miss key details, or struggle to stay on task—especially when they’re bored or tired.
- Working memory difficulties. ADHD can affect executive function, including working memory—the ability to temporarily store and manipulate information. Strong working memory is essential for understanding what has been read and for connecting ideas within the text.
- Hyperactivity and impulsivity. Kids with ADHD often find it hard to sit still. Constant movement or fidgeting can interfere with their ability to concentrate on reading.
Research shows that treatment approaches targeting ADHD traits can improve reading skills, particularly when combined with reading interventions. Traditional treatments often involve stimulant or non-stimulant medications.
How to Support a Child With ADHD in Reading
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Helping a child with ADHD build reading skills can be easier with a few practical strategies:
- Read together: Share the reading experience and model focus and comprehension.
- Minimize distractions: Create a quiet, comfortable space free from interruptions.
- Choose engaging books: Pick topics that match their interests to spark motivation.
- Teach active reading techniques: Show them how to underline, highlight, or mark key points.
- Ask questions while reading: Encourage discussion to deepen understanding and retention.
- Use notes or drawings: Let them summarize or illustrate what they’ve read to reinforce learning.
There’s no single approach that works for every child. Trying out different strategies and offering consistent support can help your child discover which reading techniques suit them best.
Common Reading Challenges for Adults With ADHD
Adults with ADHD can experience many of the same reading difficulties as children. Although research on adult reading issues in ADHD is limited, several challenges are commonly reported:
Difficulty with reading comprehension: Adults with ADHD may lose interest quickly, miss important details or connections, lose their place on the page, and become easily distracted.
Co-occurring conditions: Many adults with ADHD also have other learning differences, such as dyslexia, which can make reading, spelling, decoding, and word recognition more challenging.
Boredom and distractions: It’s common to get sidetracked by internal thoughts or external stimuli, especially when reading uninteresting material. This can lead to skipping words, losing your place, or struggling to focus on longer passages.
You might find it difficult to pinpoint and remember the main points of what you’ve read. It’s also common to zone out, feel bored, or even get sleepy while reading.
Key Takeaways
Reading with ADHD can be challenging due to difficulties with focus, comprehension, and retaining information. However, there are effective strategies that can make reading easier and more enjoyable. Techniques such as reading aloud, breaking material into smaller sections, listening to audiobooks, using highlighters, moving while reading, and reducing distractions can all help. Additionally, choosing reading material that sparks your interest, previewing the content beforehand, and discussing what you’ve read can further improve understanding and retention.
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