How to Identify Reading Difficulties
This page is for parents, caregivers, and educators looking for evidence-based guidance to support a child who is struggling to read. You will find strategies to identify the source of reading difficulties and practical approaches grounded in the science of reading, reflecting methods used in effective classroom and intervention settings.
Teachers: Please do not have your struggling readers—or any students—participate in round-robin or popcorn reading. Instead, try Different Ways to Read for a more supportive, effective approach!
About This Resource
This page was created by an educator focused on evidence-based literacy instruction and reading intervention.
This information is provided for educational purposes and does not replace professional evaluation or school-based assessment.
Table of Contents
A child’s reading difficulty may involve one or more of the following areas:
Each area is explained below, along with suggested supports. Consider informally assessing your child using these free literacy assessments.
Phonological and Phonemic Awareness
Phonological awareness is the foundation of phonics. Phonics is the understanding that letters represent sounds in spoken language.
Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate individual sounds (phonemes) in words. There are approximately 44 phonemes in English. Phonemic awareness is one of the strongest predictors of reading success.
A child with strong phonological/phonemic awareness can:
- Blend and segment sounds
- Substitute phonemes
- Count syllables
- Rhyme
- Spell by sound
- Represent sounds using blocks or counters
- Play sound and word games
If these skills are weak:
- Teach explicit phonemic awareness skills (rhyming, isolating sounds, blending, segmenting, and manipulating sounds). Blending and segmenting are the most important.
- Keep activities fun and engaging.
Word Decoding and Phonics
Decoding is the ability to apply letter–sound relationships to read words accurately. Phonics instruction teaches these relationships explicitly.
Strong decoding skills include the ability to:
- Match letters and sounds
- Read unfamiliar words
- Spell phonetically
- Recognize common phonics patterns
- Attend to all letters in a word
- Apply vowel patterns correctly
- Write words phonetically
If decoding is weak:
- Teach letters and sounds explicitly.
- Connect school learning to real-world print.
- Sort objects or pictures by sound.
- Apply phonics instruction to writing.
- Use manipulatives, such as magnetic letters.
- Teach irregular and sight words.
- Use structured computer programs to reinforce skills.
- Noah Text (free decoding app)
- Free decodable passages—Use decodable passages that correlate with the phonics concept the child is learning.
Practical Decoding Support Strategies
Before reading:
- Do a picture walk to activate background knowledge and set a purpose for reading.
- Discuss what the story might be about and make predictions.
During reading:
- Echo reading: Adult reads first, child repeats.
- Choral reading: Read together at the same time.
- Partner reading: Take turns reading pages or paragraphs.
Students should track print with one-to-one correspondence to avoid memorizing words instead of reading them.
A Critical Note for Parents
Use decodable texts to teach children to sound out words. Systematic phonics instruction with decodable texts builds real reading skills. Predictable or leveled books are best used as supplemental reading rather than primary instruction, as they may encourage reliance on pictures rather than decoding words.
Guided Reading
Guided reading can be less effective if decoding skills are not secure. Children must first learn phonics to decode and blend words. When stuck, the most effective strategy is to sound it out.
Vocabulary Development
Vocabulary knowledge supports comprehension and includes listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Strong vocabulary skills include the ability to:
- Understand grade-level word meanings. See expected vocabulary knowledge in grades K and 1, 2 and 3, and 4 and 5.
- Use precise language
- Make connections among words (antonyms, synonyms, homonyms, homophones)
- Select appropriate books
- Retell stories using sequence words
- Use nonfiction text features
If vocabulary is weak:
- Teach vocabulary explicitly before reading.
- Revisit words in multiple contexts.
- Teach context clues.
Fluency
Fluency is reading with accuracy, speed, and expression.
A fluent reader can:
- Read at benchmark rates
- Read aloud smoothly
- Use expression and phrasing
- Chunk text meaningfully
- Track print
If fluency is weak:
- Confirm decoding is secure.
- Practice repeated readings with an independent-level text.
- Track words read correctly per minute (WCPM).
- Read along with recorded models.
- Practice expressive reading.
WCPM Example:
(Total words read correctly ÷ total seconds) × 60 = WCPM. Example: 207 words in 205 seconds → 60 WCPM
Reading Comprehension
Comprehension involves understanding, interpreting, and thinking deeply about text. It depends on decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and reasoning skills.
A child with strong comprehension can:
- Identify main ideas
- Explain outcomes and causes
- Infer character motivation
- Sequence events logically
- Extract key facts
- Visualize text
- Use notes and organizers
If comprehension is weak:
- Teach visualization.
- Teach narrative and informational text structures
- Ask open-ended questions
- Use summarizing strategies like SWBST
- Use graphic organizers
- Encourage rereading when meaning breaks down
- Activate prior knowledge
- Visit Reading Comprehension Strategies and Reading Strategy Prompts
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This page was last updated on January 9, 2026.
