As a parent, there is nothing more worrisome and/or frustrating than watching your child struggle learning  how to read. Given that there is a wealth of information available on reading development and various reading programs,  knowing what to do next can often feel overwhelming. Naturally you may wonder if these difficulties may indicate a deeper issue like dyslexia or you may wonder if they may just need “more time”.

In this article, we explore when you may wish to consider seeking a professional opinion and/or assessment, what the assessment process typically involves and the key components of an effective reading program that is designed to intervene and support a struggling reader.

Why do some children find learning to read challenging?

Although it is always important to remember that each child develops at their own pace, children struggle learning how to read for different reasons. Common causes  may include a lack of exposure and experience, learning a second language, finding it hard to concentrate, experiencing a speech, hearing and/or language challenge, experiencing weak phonemic awareness and/or potentially having an underlying, undetected reading disability, commonly referred to as Dyslexia.

Do You Recognize Any of the Following Signs?

Recognizing the early signs of dyslexia can profoundly influence your child’s learning experience. So, what are common indicators that may suggest that further support is warranted?

Have you noticed any of the following symptoms?

In Preschool and Kindergarten:

• Delayed speech development
• Difficulty learning nursery rhymes and/or playing rhyming games
• Trouble recognizing letters of the alphabet and/or recognizing letters in their own name
• Difficulty learning and/or remembering letters of the alphabet and/or their associated sounds

In Early Elementary School

• Slow to learn the connection between letters and sounds
• Confuses small words (at/to, said/and, does/goes)
• Expresses that reading is hard
• Fatigues easily when participating in reading/language activities
• Becomes easily distracted when reading and/or tries to avoid reading
• Struggles when required to sound out a simple word
• Guesses at words and has errors that have no connection to the word on the page
• Misspells words, including common words

NEXT STEPS:

Should an assessment be considered?

If you notice some of the above symptoms, it may be valuable to speak to a professional regarding a potential psycho-educational assessment. Typically, an assessment involves a comprehensive evaluation of your child’s cognitive, memory and academic abilities, including their phonological processing abilities, which are the skills required to process spoken and written language. Based on the results, a reading development plan, that is specifically designed for your child, may be developed, and specific reading resources may be recommended, to help your child succeed.

How do I know What Reading Resources Will Help My Child?

It is important to recognize that there is a wealth of information available regarding the best way to teach a child to read as well as a multitude of reading programs and resources available.

 We understand that deciding which program and/or resources to use can be overwhelming. Although it is best to speak to a professional as, depending on one’s learning profile and reading ability, different programs may be more beneficial than others, there are typically some common characteristics in effective reading programs.

What are the Components of an Effective Reading Program:

The following are questions to reflect on when deciding on whether a particular reading program and/or approach may be effective for a struggling reader:

Question 1:

Is the reading program based on RESEARCH? 

Question 2:

Does the reading program follow an EXPLICIT and SYSTEMATIC approach?

Question 3:

Does the program target the FIVE PILLARS OF READING  (phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension)

Question 4:

Does the reading program utilize a MULTI-SENSORY approach?

Question 5:

Is the program ENGAGING and DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE and can it be INDIVIDUALIZED to meet the student’s needs ?

We Would be Happy to Hear from You!

If you have any concerns about your child’s ability to read, please reach out to us. We are here to help.

Read more about Dr. Borthwick here!