Addressing Reading struggles
In most cases, parents and teachers have some idea if a child is behind in reading by kindergarten. But, it is difficult to know the cause and specifically address it at this early age. As the child gets older, reading struggles become more apparent and the cause(s) usually can be more clearly identified.
If a child struggles in the 3rd grade and beyond and has been exposed to adequate instruction, in most cases there is some cause other than instruction related. The cause or causes must be addressed first to empower a student to achieve their full potential.
Kindergarten and first grade
2nd grade and above
If a child struggles in the 3rd grade and beyond and has been exposed to adequate instruction, in most cases there is some cause other than instruction related. The cause or causes must be addressed first to empower a student to achieve their full potential.
Kindergarten and first grade
- Read aloud with the child 15-20 minutes or more daily (http://www.trelease-on-reading.com)
- Complete the Reading Kingdom Program (http://readingkingdom.com)--just 15-20 minutes 4-5 days per week for a year
- If the child is diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum, complete ASD Reading (http://asdreading.com)
- Review and complete the eye exercises at Eye Can Learn as appropriate (http://eyecanlearn.com)
- If you want to know more about the science and history of reading instruction, we recommend the following sites.
- Children of the code, http://www.childrenofthecode.org
- Balanced Reading, http://balancedreading.com
2nd grade and above
- Continue reading aloud and partner reading (http://www.trelease-on-reading.com)
- Can use Reading Kingdom up to third grade if the student is sufficiently behind--ASD Reading can be used up to age 16 as appropriate
- Review and take the self assessment at the Irlen Syndrome website, http://irlen.com; address any issues. Go to a developmental eye doctor as needed.
- Review and complete the eye exercises at Eye Can Learn as appropriate (http://eyecanlearn.com)
- Read the book Disconnected Kids by Dr. Robert Melillo. Complete the assessments and follow the training as appropriate.
- Complete a cognitive skill assessment. For qualified organizations, the Gibson Test of brain skills is available. This is a 45 minute online cognitive skill assessment. Contact us for more information.
- Complete brain training as needed. There are over 200 online brain training programs and several clinical programs. Science has proven that the brain can be improved with the proper training. For more information on the industry, we recommend the Sharp Brains website, http://sharpbrains.com. For qualified organizations, we offer a complete online brain training program. Contact us for more information.
- Review the home-life situation. Identify any stressors or problems and address them as best as possible. Nutrition, exercise, and nurturing are key elements.
- Learn about the concepts of social emotion learning, motivation, mindset and performance character. For mindset, the following website is helpful, http://www.mindsetworks.com. Do a Google search on each topic and explore the concepts.
- Learn about the concept of primitive reflexes and address any issues as appropriate. The following site will provide a good introduction, http://www.pyramidofpotential.com/primitive-reflexes/. Also do a Google search and explore the concept.
- Once any of these underlying causes have been addressed, the student may need some additional instruction or tutoring to catch them up to grade level.