Literacy in simple terms is having the ability to read and write. Learning to read and write starts from a young age, however, children do not learn at the same speed. Some children learn to read faster than others based on a number of factors. While some children are naturals and pick reading up really fast, others require special attention and methods to kick on with reading. Parents usually worry when their kids cannot read early. While this worry is often unfounded, there are red flags that you need to take note of if your child cannot read.
Red Flags To Worry About If Your Kid Still Can’t Read
- Family History of Reading Difficulties: If there is a history of reading and learning difficulties in your family, it is not out of place to worry that your child cannot read. If one child has a reading issue like dyslexia, there is a high chance that another child might encounter similar issues.
- Difficulty With Phonemes: Your child experiencing difficulty in remembering the sound of letters, is a sign that they might be dealing with a reading issue. The problem could be an auditory issue, processing difficulty. It is important to pay special attention to that child.
- Problem With Look-alike Letters: It is perfectly normal for kids to mix up look-alike letters such as b, d, and p, and even sound-alike letters like t, d, f, and v. However, when the child is already over the age of 7, mixing up these letters might be a sign of a learning problem. Oftentimes than not, there is a lack of connection to the visual representation of language which is one of the signs of dyslexia.
- Difficulty Rhyming Words: Having the ability to rhyme words, with similar sounds such as cat, bat, and mat, is an indication that the learner can hear the language. An inability to rhyme such words could be a sign of apraxia of speech or dyslexia.
- Poor Memory: A child has poor memory if they cannot remember what they read in a story, or what was read to them by someone else. This could be caused by a number of reasons, which include a short attention span, slow processing of words, or even a sign of a learning issue like dyslexia. It is important to monitor the child, and see if it improves after a while
- Spelling: It is a sign of reading difficulties if the kid misspells a word differently in one write-up. If they cannot spell the word correctly, but spell it consistently within the write-up, it is simply a case of not getting the word right. However, if they spell the same word in different ways in a write-up, then it could be a sign of dyslexia or dysgraphia. It is important to pay attention to a child with such difficulty.
Conclusion
If your child is struggling with any of the above problems, you can get professional help at childcare Chifley.
