New studies show that if your child is a poor reader by the end of first grade, he will continue to struggle with reading difficulties by fifth grade, falling well behind his peers. If your child shows signs of reading struggles, you’ve got to act quickly and aggressively. Early intervention will give your child a much better chance at success than waiting to help your child catch up in later years. The “late bloomer” theory has now been officially thrown out, at least with respect to reading. No longer can we suggest that you adopt a “wait and see” approach, hoping for your child to catch up on his own. You must insist upon intensive reading instruction for your son or daughter, and soon.
How do I know if my child is a poor reader?
According to Schatschneider and Torgensen (2004), here are a few signs you should watch for:
- Your child should be able to identify the letters of the alphabet by early kindergarten.
- He or she should know the sounds that letters make by the end of kindergarten.
- He or she should be able to decode words (recognizing both letters and their phonetic sounds and then “sounding out” entire words) by the early part of first grade.
- He or she should be able to read simple words and sentences with some fluency by the latter-half of first grade.
Early detection of reading problems is so crucial that children in the first three years of elementary school should be tested and retested, and well as being observed carefully by parents and teachers. If you have concerns about your child, you have the right to insist upon a referral for an assessment. Every state and school district will have different policies for how this is done. Your child’s teacher should be able to get the process started, or speak with the principal of the school.
What treatment should be used to help my child?
If your son or daughter is identified as being at-risk for reading difficulty or a possible learning disability, he or she needs immediate intensive instruction. This might include working with a specialist in small groups or individually, where the child is explicitly taught decoding, phonics, and word meanings. Sight-word recognition should also be taught, with the goal being to increase the child’s library of memorized words. This intensive teaching should be done in a more supportive, encouraging environment than the average student needs. Children who are frustrated by reading are more likely to avoid it, so an upbeat, motivating instructor is essential. The techniques used will need to be adapted for the individual child. I’ll be writing more about specific ways to help your child improve reading skills in a future blog.
The good news…
When poor readers are given aggressive early intervention, they often have incredible success! More than half of students—up to 92%– who were followed after receiving early reading intervention were found to have eventually caught up with their peers. The key is to get the process going as early as possible, hopefully by first grade. Take a close look at your child’s reading skills, and don’t hesitate to act, RIGHT AWAY, if you have concerns.
Kristyn Crow is the author of this blog. Visit her website by clicking here. Some links on this blog may have been generated by outside sources are not necessarily endorsed by Kristyn Crow.