Helping Struggling Readers

By: Readingrockets.org

Did you know that learning to read is a challenge for almost 40 percent of kids? The good news is that with early help, most reading problems can be prevented. The bad news is that 44 percent of parents who notice their child having trouble wait a year or more before getting help.

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Unfortunately, the older a child is, the more difficult it is to teach him or her to read. The window of opportunity closes early for most kids. If a child can't read well by the end of third grade, odds are that he or she will never catch up. And the effects of falling behind and feeling like a failure can be devastating.

Click below to find information on:

• Top 10 Things You Should Know About Reading – What it takes to learn to read, the achievement gap in the U.S., and how we can help struggling readers
• FAQs – Find answers to real questions from real parents about reading and learning disabilities
• Q&A with nationally known experts – A new monthly feature covering topics such as assessment, cognition and learning, and educational technology
• Why They Struggle – Learn why some kids struggle with reading
• Target the Problem! – Pinpoint the problem a struggling reader is having and discover ways to help
• Assessment Process – Find out how to get your child evaluated
• Parent as Advocate – Why you need to toughen up and stand up for your child
• Finding Help – Where to get extra help for your struggling reader
• Self-Esteem and Reading Difficulties – What else suffers when kids struggle in school and what they can do to help themselves
• Struggling Readers – Find more Reading Rockets resources, including inside the classroom video, webcasts, articles, and related research

Early identification is crucial. Please, if you suspect a problem, don't hesitate. Learn about reading difficulties, get your child assessed, find out what you can do to help your struggling reader, and don't give up!

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