One of the most commonly asked questions we hear at Langsford Learning Acceleration Centers is, "How early should I be worried about my child's reading skills?" Closely related is, "When should work on reading skills start?" Research clearly indicates that what preschoolers know before they enter school is strongly related to how easily they learn to read in first grade.
Three Predictors of Reading Achievement in preschoolers:
1) the ability to recognize and name letters of the alphabet
2) general knowledge about print (which is the front of the book and which is the back; which way to turn the pages of the book)
3) awareness of phonemes (the sounds in words)
If your preschooler is lacking in any of these areas, reading experts advise stepping in early. Research indicates that a child who is four or five months behind at the end of first grade has only a 20% chance of ever reading at grade level in a typical school environment.
The good news is, however, that slow starters can succeed if they are provided the right kind of help. Early intervention programs that combine daily instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, spelling, and reading fluency strategies can improve reading skills to average or above levels.
So don't wait for your child to experience failure. If your young child is displaying warning signs that learning to read is going to be difficult, seek intervention early! If you'd like information on early reader screenings and/or full assessments to determine whether your child is at risk of reading difficulties, see our website.
Langsford Learning Acceleration Centers
(502) 473-7000
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