Learning to read is an extremely complex process; consequently reading disorders often are multi-faceted. It involves the following:
  • Visually recognizing letter symbols and naming them
  • Attaching sounds to the letters
  • Blending sounds into a whole word unit
  • Attaching a meaning to the word
  • Holding the beginning of a word, sentence, and/or paragraph in your mind while reading to the end

The problems often involve the following:
  • Decoding: The child has trouble translating letter symbols into sounds, blending the sounds together, and identifying the word.
  • Acquisition of important sight words (e.g. “the”, “could,” “said,” etc.)
  • Fluency: The child can decode individual words; however, she has trouble with the speed with which she decodes.
  • Comprehension: The child has trouble understanding the meaning of what she has read. Children with decoding and fluency problems also have comprehension problems as well. In addition, there are children who are excellent decoders but who struggle with comprehension, especially with complex material.

Suggested Teaching Strategies:

• With decoding problems, carefully structured phonics lessons help. Often it is good to use a multi-sensory approach. At the same time, it is helpful to teach struggling decoders how to use context and/or picture cues to identify words.
• With fluency problems, one-on-one guided reading sessions in which the teacher models fluency and expression are helpful. It is also helpful to have one-on-one sessions in which the child can practice reading aloud and decoding texts. It is important to carefully choose texts that are not too taxing.
• With comprehension problems, carefully structured questions can help guide and scaffold comprehension skills. With longer, more complex texts, it is helpful to break the text down and have the child read section by section, paraphrasing what she has read as she goes along.
• With comprehension problems, it is also good to teach previewing and active reading skills. For instance, have the child look at chapter and/or section headings and use them to identify what the major topics and/or themes will be. Teach her to annotate as she reads: paraphrase the main idea of each paragraph, underline key supporting points, and circle important dates and/or facts.

Suggested Resources:

Reading Disorder General Information

 

 

Last updated 1.09.07

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