Reading difficulties

READING DIFFICULTIES

While the extent of reading difficulties can range from mild to moderate to severe to profound, even a mild reading disability can prevent a student from reaching his or her potential. Listed below are a number of “ red flags” that could indicate problems with reading acquisition reading efficiency. The purpose of this list is NOT to Diagnose causes of reading struggles or deficiencies; Rather it is to heighten parental awareness of symptoms.

Preschool: Doesn't know how to hold a book Can't tell the difference between letters and squiggles Can't recognize own name Only says a small number of words Doesn’t like rhyming games and can’t fill in the rhyming word in familiar nursery rhymes

Early Childhood

Can't tell the difference between the sounds that make up a word (phonics) Slow to name familiar objects and colors Can’t remember the names and sounds of the letters By the end of kindergarten, can’t write most of the consonant sounds in a word (it’s normal for vowels to be missing until later)

Kindergarten:

Has trouble pronouncing new words and remembering them. Has trouble blending sounds together to say words Says reading is easier for their classmates Falls way behind their classmates Can't figure out unknown words Resists reading aloud

Starts to withdraw Has some troubling behavior Seems to guess at unknown words Does not get meaning from reading

2nd and 3rd Grades

This resource has been developed for primary and secondary teachers to build their knowledge and understanding of reading difficulties and dyslexia.

While many students learn to read at expected levels and rates of learning, some students do not make expected progress despite teaching that has assisted their peers. For these students to reach their potential, it is important that their individual learning needs in reading are identified and catered for.

This resource provides practical assessments that can be used to identify the nature of

a student’s reading difficulty and focused teaching strategies that can be used to support the development of a student’s knowledge and

skills in reading. The assessments and focused teaching strategies will

assist in supporting and monitoring a learning and progress in reading.

Dyslexia is characterized by difficulty in learning to read

fluently and with accurate comprehension despite normal intelligence.

This includes difficulty with phonological awareness, phonological decoding, processing speed, orthographic coding, auditory short-term memory, language skills/verbal comprehension, and/or rapid naming.

Developmental reading disorder (DRD)is the most common learning disability.

Dyslexia is the most recognized of reading disorders, however not all reading disorders are linked to dyslexia.