CAUSES OF READING STRUGGLES
Why does a given student struggle with reading? The education system focuses primarily on the instructional factor. Good teachers make a difference, but in many cases the cause is not the lack of teaching or access to a good curriculum.
Most children who struggle with reading entered kindergarten behind in the foundational skills that empower reading success. In most cases, more instruction alone will not catch up students who have a skill gap. These students need individual, intensive training to close the skill gap; then more instruction can close the academic gap.
There are six categories of factors that impact reading success. See chart below. Our goal is to help schools build a better system to address the full range of causal factors. We also work with community programs to better support families to ensure all children have the foundational skills that empower success when they enter school.
Why does a given student struggle with reading? The education system focuses primarily on the instructional factor. Good teachers make a difference, but in many cases the cause is not the lack of teaching or access to a good curriculum.
Most children who struggle with reading entered kindergarten behind in the foundational skills that empower reading success. In most cases, more instruction alone will not catch up students who have a skill gap. These students need individual, intensive training to close the skill gap; then more instruction can close the academic gap.
There are six categories of factors that impact reading success. See chart below. Our goal is to help schools build a better system to address the full range of causal factors. We also work with community programs to better support families to ensure all children have the foundational skills that empower success when they enter school.
Prevention is far better than remediation. Children who receive sufficient nurturing and exposure to learning experiences from womb to classroom generally enter school with the skills to succeed. Children who are exposed to more stress and uncertainly, and who do not receive enough exposure to language and positive life experiences do not develop the learned skills, processing skills and mindset skills needed to succeed in school.
Schools are designed to provide grade-level instruction in a one-on-many classroom environment. Students who have the skills generally succeed. Those who do not have sufficient skills struggle. When a classroom contains more than a few students who are behind, teachers generally do not have the time and resources to catch up these students so they fall further behind.
As a community, we must built better systems to support families so children receive adequate developmental experiences to build their skill foundation. This includes being read to aloud daily for 15 minutes, being talked to in sufficient quantity and quality of conversation to build vocabulary and reasoning skills, being treated the proper way to build a growth mindset and perseverance character skills, engaging in the proper play so children are healthy and build motor skills, and having access to the proper nutrition.
Schools must also develop better systems for grades k-3 to catch up students who have a skill gap. This includes better engaging and supporting families, screening for and addressing sensory input issues, screening for and addressing cognitive skill deficiencies, training to build a growth mindset, and intensive training to catch up on learned-skill deficiencies such as vocabulary. These children need one-on-one or one-on-few support.
TRSM Learning Model
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Schools are designed to provide grade-level instruction in a one-on-many classroom environment. Students who have the skills generally succeed. Those who do not have sufficient skills struggle. When a classroom contains more than a few students who are behind, teachers generally do not have the time and resources to catch up these students so they fall further behind.
As a community, we must built better systems to support families so children receive adequate developmental experiences to build their skill foundation. This includes being read to aloud daily for 15 minutes, being talked to in sufficient quantity and quality of conversation to build vocabulary and reasoning skills, being treated the proper way to build a growth mindset and perseverance character skills, engaging in the proper play so children are healthy and build motor skills, and having access to the proper nutrition.
Schools must also develop better systems for grades k-3 to catch up students who have a skill gap. This includes better engaging and supporting families, screening for and addressing sensory input issues, screening for and addressing cognitive skill deficiencies, training to build a growth mindset, and intensive training to catch up on learned-skill deficiencies such as vocabulary. These children need one-on-one or one-on-few support.
TRSM Learning Model
Back to About page