Help for At-Risk Students Behind in Reading

The following pages in this section of our website are intended to serve as a resource for parents, educators, and tutors who want to understand why their children or students are behind in reading and what they can do to help them. These pages are also intended for reference by adults who are trying to understand what they can do to help themselves become better readers. There is a bewildering and often contradictory flood of information regarding why individuals struggle as readers and how best to help struggling readers. The links below provide information regarding what steps an individual can take to get help.

Where do I begin?

How can I help myself or my child learn to read better? There are so many products offered and so many conflicting ideas. What does the research say works best to teach remedial reading to any student at any age? See Frequently Asked Questions.

When A Child Is Labeled Dyslexic

Here is what you need to know if you, your child or a loved one has been labeled as being dyslexic or learning disabled. When a Child is Labeled Dyslexic.

Teach Direct, Systematic, Synthetic Phonics

Parents must take action on their own for three reasons!

Teach students the sounds of the letters and basic spelling rules.

Teach students how to sound out unknown words – never allow them to guess at a word’s identity.

Use decodable text (controlled lists of words, sentences and stories) to teach phonics and fluency.

Teach spelling at each step.

Teach spelling and reading together.

Teach to mastery. Teach students each lesson until they can decode words accurately, read words fluently, and spell words correctly in every lesson.

Accurate word reading is not enough; provide guided and repeated oral reading practice every day to develop fluency!

Offer guided and repeated oral reading practice by following these techniques.