Signs your child may be a struggling reader.
As dyslexia specialists and reading tutors, we have many formal and informal assessments to understand your child’s strengths and challenges in areas like phonological awareness, decoding, spelling, and fluency. These tools help us screen for dyslexia, the most common language-based learning disability, and help us in deciding whether further diagnostic testing is recommended. But long before we get to formal assessments, there are early signs parents and caregivers can watch for at home that may indicate current (or future) reading challenges.
(For context, this guide assumes your child has had at least some preschool experience and comes from a primarily English-speaking household.)
Preschool- Kindergarten
It can be hard to tell what’s developmental and what’s more serious, but consistent struggles are worth noting:
Trouble with rhyming
Difficulty pronouncing words clearly
Struggles to remember letter names or sounds
1st to 2nd grade
By now, children should connect letters to sounds and begin sounding out words.
Watch for:
Ongoing difficulty with letter sounds (we want your child to know all of their letter sounds by the beginning of first grade)
Trouble sounding out simple CVC words (cat, bit, let)
Relying on memorizing books instead of reading/decoding the words
Try nonsense words at this stage. If your child can’t sound out words like “bat, mit, win” it’s a sign more support is needed. If a 1st grader still hasn’t mastered letter sounds, it’s time to check in with a reading specialist.
3rd grade and up
Reading should be smoother and more automatic. Red flags include:
Choppy, slow reading
Resistance to reading- lots of frustration when asked to read
Strong listening comprehension but weak independent reading
Writing can also reveal struggles:
Can tell detailed stories out loud but only writes a sentence or two
Avoids writing or spells in ways that are hard to read
These issues often point to spelling or handwriting difficulties, not lack of effort.
Trust your gut
If your child seems bright but consistently struggles with or avoids reading, it’s worth pursuing testing. With the right support, progress is not only possible but very likely. And don’t hesitate to consult a professional!