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Reading is an important first step on a child’s path to success in life. A child who is an excellent reader is a confident child, has a high level of self-esteem, and is able to easily make the transition from learning to read to reading to learn. For many of us, reading is a natural process and we can read with ease and pleasure. Unfortunately, for a child with a reading disability, the reading process can become a frustrating and negative experience and is often very difficult to master.
What is a reading disability?
A reading disability is an inherited condition that makes it extremely difficult to read, write, and spell despite having at least average intelligence.
Learning to read is a sequential process. Each new skill a child learns builds on mastery of previously learned skills. First, a child learns to break words down into their most basic sounds, which we call decoding. Later, the child begins to understand the meaning of words and sentences, what we call reading comprehension. Decoding is an essential step in the reading process, as it forms the basis of reading. For a child with a reading disability, decoding is NOT natural and is NOT an automatic process. Most reading experts will agree that decoding problems are the basis for most reading disabilities.
Does my child have a reading disability?
Some signs of a reading disability:
• The child has difficulty pronouncing words.
• Slow and laborious reading
• reads without expression
• Ignore punctuation while reading aloud
• Guesses based on the first letter of the word
• Puts additional sounds in a word
• Drops of syllables
• Invert sounds
• Has trouble with spelling
• Substitute common little words.
If your child is having trouble reading and displaying the above symptoms, there may be good reason for you to request an immediate evaluation. As a parent, you want to be sure that you are providing what is necessary for your child to be successful in school. To know what is necessary, an assessment is the first thing to do to identify the problems to be solved.
What is an evaluation?
An assessment is simply a standardized test performed by someone who is trained and licensed to understand how to take the test and how to interpret the results. The specialists trained to perform psychological tests and interpretation of results are:
• Clinical psychologist
• School psychologist
• Educational psychologist
• Developmental psychologist
• Neuropsychologist
• Speech and language therapist
How do I get help?
A child with a reading disability will assimilate and process information differently and needs to be taught by specialists. Students with a reading disability should work with a specially trained teacher, tutor, or reading specialist to learn to read and spell. Students who have been evaluated and diagnosed through the school district may qualify for Special Education Services. Children with a reading disability do best with a structured sequential, repetitive, systematic, and cumulative reading program. Fortunately, with the right assistance and help, most students with a reading disability can learn to read and develop strategies to become successful readers.
When is the best time to seek help?
Effective early intervention is the key to helping a struggling reader learn to read. This training should start sooner rather than later for the best results. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 95% of children who have trouble learning to read can reach grade level if they receive specialized help early on. Kindergarten through the middle of first grade are the “window of opportunity” to prevent long-term reading problems. Without early intervention, the “reading gap” may never close.
There is no reason why a child with a reading disability cannot learn to read and understand well. It is important that we never lower our expectations of a child with a reading disability. Children need to feel that even though they are struggling, they are loved and not judged. So be patient, encourage, and praise often.