Your student has been in school long enough this fall for you to get a good sense of how they are doing, and maybe you’re not happy with what you see. They seem to be having problems with reading. You don’t want to overreact, but you’re getting concerned.
“Something just doesn’t seem right,” says Lawrence Kloth, co-founder of Reading Success Plus. “But you’re not sure. What are the warning signs that parents can look at and say, ‘Hmmm, something is going on here that we need to address’?”
Here’s a list of signals that could alert you to problems that may require additional investigation or even academic support.
School performance
One isolated bad test score or missed homework assignment probably isn’t cause for panic. But consistent low grades and unsatisfactory standardized test scores require your attention, especially if your child seems to be performing below their capability, either in one subject or overall. The Child Mind Institute calls this “a discrepancy between ability and aptitude, i.e., a gap between what it seems a student should be able to do and what they’re actually able to do.” Examples include:
- A student who excels at writing but struggles with basic math, or vice versa.
- A child who’s great at answering questions in class but can’t explain the same material on paper.
- A student who is obviously bright, but that intelligence isn’t reflected on their report card.
When a parent hears that their child isn’t meeting their potential, their first reaction is that the child has to apply themselves more. But the real cause is often more than a lack of effort. Learning disabilities such as dyslexia, which affects reading, and dyscalculia, which affects math, could be the cause.
Children with such disabilities can be very intelligent and can be diligent workers, but that alone isn’t enough to overcome their disability. They need instruction that targets the disability, either in the classroom or through outside tutoring. See the Reading Success Plus website for warning signs of dyslexia and dyscalculia. If you see these signs, seek additional help.
Obstacles to reading
Parents don’t have to wait for a teacher’s report to notice when their child struggles with reading. Just hand them a book and ask them to read it. Can they read age-appropriate material fluently, or do they stumble frequently?
“Are they able to decode words?” Lawrence asks. “For example, if the word is cat, can they sound out c-a-t one letter at a time? Or did they freeze because they didn’t know how to put the sounds together? If they have trouble decoding words or can’t blend the words or syllables together very well, that’s a big sign.”
Frequent guessing is another red flag. Weak readers often see the first letter or two and guess the rest of the word. Lawrence, who has dyslexia, remembers one of his most common guesses.
“When I was young, I knew the word pizza started with p-i. So, every time I saw a word that began with p-i, I thought it was pizza. If the word was piano, I was done for.”
Letter confusion can also signal problems. It’s normal for beginning readers to confuse b, d, and p, or p and q, or m, n, and w. But if that confusion persists, it could be a sign of dyslexia.
Difficulty with reading comprehension can also signal a deeper problem. “If they read the story really well a couple of times, pronounce every word correctly, and then can’t tell you what’s happening, that is an area of concern.”
The National Center on Reading Literacy lists additional signs of a potential reading disability:
- Noticing and naming rhymes
- Quickly naming aloud a series of familiar items, like letters, numbers, or colors
- Remembering words seen many times before
- Reading “like you talk” instead of word by word
- Spelling words correctly
“These are essential skills,” Lawrence says. “Not being able to decode words, not understanding what they’re reading- it’s going to affect them in all areas of school. If you don’t have those fundamental skills down, it’s going to be really difficult to succeed in school and later in life. Getting that necessary help for them is going to be huge for their success down the line.”
Behavior issues
Poor academic performance isn’t the only sign of potential learning problems. Behavior issues are often attributed to “bad attitude,” innate belligerence, or other character issues. In reality, bad behavior often may not be the cause of school struggles; it could be a reaction to the stress produced by persistent, demoralizing failure caused by learning disorders or disabilities. Address those disabilities, and you’re addressing the bad behavior.
“Avoidance is their biggest tactic,” Lawrence says. “They don’t want to go to school. They hate it. It’s so difficult for them, and they feel like they’re stupid. Emotionally, it drains them. So, they avoid it at all costs.”
Avoidance takes many forms. It may show up as stomachaches or headaches on the day of a test (many are real, stress-related ailments). Some students might “hide out” in the classroom—stay in the background during group projects, sit in the back row, and do their best to avoid being called on during class—in hopes of hiding their learning issue. Teens may turn to the ultimate form of avoidance – skipping out of class. But often, avoidance is more mental than physical. Kids simply check out. They don’t pay attention, they neglect the readings, they ignore the assignments.
Sadly, there’s a logic to this behavior. Why bust your butt in class or spend hours on homework when you’re certain you’ll get the same “D” that you would have gotten if you spent that time playing video games? It’s easier not to care – or at least act like you don’t care – than to work hard and fail.
“Who likes to do anything that’s super-hard, especially if you’re a kid?” Lawrence says. “It’s really difficult to get these kids to say, ‘I really want to care about this.”
Another warning sign is low self-esteem. “They’ll say, ‘I just don’t get it. I’m stupid, I’m dumb. What’s the point in going to school?” Their frustration is greater when the child doesn’t realize that the problem may be a disability, not that they’re “dumb.”
“If a child often seems to be down on themselves, depressed, or frustrated at school, an undiagnosed learning disorder could be a cause,” the Child Mind Center says — another reason to seek help at early signs of trouble. Otherwise, the child’s stress could become worse.
“Kids with learning disorders may develop serious school-related anxiety — especially before they are diagnosed, when they don’t understand why they can’t keep up with their peers.” Check out our earlier blog about managing stress and anxiety.
In many kids, these feelings lead to acting out at school and at home. “They struggle in school, they don’t want to do it, and they’re just like, ‘Oh. All right, screw it, I’m not going to do it.’ So, they show everyone how little they care by disrupting class, being the class clown, arguing with their teacher or their parents over everything.”
Another behavior to watch for is poor organization and time management. Parents can easily attribute this to a lack of discipline. However, dyslexia frequently affects time management and perception, as well as organizational skills. Likewise, difficulties with time perception and organization are characteristic of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. See these articles for suggestions on time management with dyslexia and ADHD.
Don’t put off getting help
If your child is struggling in school and you see some of these warning signs, consider getting help. First, raise your concerns with the teacher. A wide range of in-school support is likely available, but if you’re concerned, don’t wait for the teacher to approach you—take the first step. Also, you can check with your family doctor or a psychologist if you suspect ADHD. If you suspect dyslexia, Reading Success Plus can conduct screening and provide tutoring that can help get your child on track academically. You could also consult with a psychologist or other clinician for a formal diagnosis.
“As a parent, you have to take control of what your kids are looking at,” Lawrence says. “And the earlier you do it, the better. If you see your 5-, 6-, 7-, or 8-year-old struggling and not getting better, you need to get help. Otherwise, they could be dealing with academic and emotional problems for the rest of their life.
“The sooner you get this resolved, the easier school is going to be for them. The longer you wait, the more substantial the side effects will be. So, I would really get the help.”
More resources
For more information about warning signs or learning disorders or disabilities, check these articles:
Tips for Recognizing Learning Disorders in the Classroom from the Child Mind Institute
Tips for Recognizing Learning Disorders in the Classroom, from the Mayo Clinic
Is Your Child Having Trouble Reading? Warning Signs and a Checklist, from the National Center on Improving Literacy
Learning Disorder, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Early Warning Signs of Learning Disabilities, from Reading Rockets
son in reading, math, and writing, as well as personal and family coaching. You can get more information at readingsuccessplus.com. To contact us, call 833-229-1112 or go online to readingsuccessplus.com/contact.