As a parent, chances are high that you are a much stronger reader than your elementary aged child. Sometimes spotting true challenges, the type of challenge that warrants the help of a Charlotte tutoring center, is not always easy. Some of the earliest warning signs of reading challenges can be explained away because the child is “young” or “immature,” and this can lead to a lifetime of learning struggles. As a parent, you need to be looking for signs of reading struggles, so you can seek help early.
Pre-School Signs of Future Learning Problems
Pre-school children can show signs of reading struggles even before they begin official reading education. Watch for signs such as:
- Learning to talk late – Some kids are just late talkers, but if yours is a late talker with articulation problems and delayed vocabulary growth, an underlying learning disability may be to blame.
- Lack of picture recognition – By age 3, children should be recognizing logos of places they visit frequently and pictures of everyday objects. This important pre-reading skill gives them the foundation to begin recognizing letters.
- Lack of letter recognition – Children should be able to recognize the letters and numbers by age 5.
If you notice these concerns with your child, early intervention can make all of the difference in overcoming them and providing a solid foundation for later reading instruction. Talk to the school district or your child’s pediatrician about early intervention options. Sometimes parents feel as though they are overreacting to these types of delays, but research has clearly shown that early intervention works. Close to 70 percent of all students who need and receive early intervention can learn to read at grade level later.
Signs of Problems in School
Not all children who struggle with reading will have early signs of a problem. Sometimes, reading struggles only show up when actual reading instruction begins. Besides the obvious problems of not being able to read age-appropriate content fluently, signs to watch for in your school-aged child include:
- Lack of interest in reading – This sign is a challenging one because some kids just are not readers. However, young children are typically excited to learn to read, especially when given quality reading instruction. When seen with other signs, this is a sign of a problem.
- Difficult learning new words – New vocabulary should not be a struggle for a young school-age child. If it is, a reading difficulty may be to blame.
- Lack of understanding of what is read – Reading is not just about sounding out the words properly. It also requires proper understanding of what is read. A lack of comprehension indicates a problem.
At Swan Learning Center, we believe each child can, and should, learn to love reading. If you are noticing these problems, we can help. Schedule a time to talk to one of our reading tutors to get the help your child deserves.
