1 in 5 kids in the U.S. struggle with issues related to reading, writing, math, focus and organization. These kids with learning issues are as smart as their peers, but too many aren’t getting the support they need to succeed.
It is estimated that as much as 20% of the population experiences some reading disability. It can be difficult to tease out whether students will eventually catch on or if they are truly facing a disability. There are some telltale signs that a trained educator or specialist can detect.
Some students have not had effective reading instruction. Other children have not had adequate exposure to reading before Kindergarten, while some children may have a reading disability, such as dyslexia, which makes reading very challenging. There are some children who face all of these scenarios combined! The good news is that children can overcome their difficulties with the right support from trained educators and specialists. Reading disabilities are not related to a child’s intelligence.
No matter what issue the child is facing, they will require excellent reading instruction from a teacher or tutor with extensive knowledge and a deep understanding of how to teach reading. Early intervention is key to supporting students who are struggling with reading – do not wait and see. Familiarize yourself with the expected reading or pre-reading skills for your child’s age and grade level to understand which skills your child may need additional support in. Your child’s teacher should be the first point of contact for any reading concerns. They can provide clear insight into the expected grade level skills as well as diagnostic or screening reports about your child’s reading abilities.
Seeing your child struggle and suffer can be difficult for families to experience. It can also affect a child’s self-esteem when they witness classmates reading confidently. If you are worried, don’t delay in your search for answers.
Effective Strategies for Struggling Readers and Their Families
Read Charlotte is a community initiative that unites educators, community partners, and families to improve children’s reading from birth to third grade. We don’t run programs. We are a capacity-building intermediary that supports local partners to apply evidence-based knowledge about effective reading instruction and interventions, high-quality execution, continuous improvement, and data analysis to improve reading outcomes.
Read Charlotte is a civic initiative of Foundation For The Carolinas.
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