Reading

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION

What are the causes of reading problems?

There are five causes of reading difficulty. A reading difficulty is usually related to more than one cause.

  1. Missing a step

  Reading instruction in the elementary grades is like a ladder. Each step is based on the previous one.  In some cases due to illness or other causes, a child misses one of the rungs of that imaginary ladder. The child then would have difficulty unless he/she is taken back to the skill that was missed to re-teach it and build on it.

  2. Differences in learning styles

  We learn about the world through our senses. Those who learn best through the sense of vision are called visual learners. Those who learn through the sense of hearing are called auditory learners. Some people learn through the sense of touch. They are called tactile learners. Persons who learn best through the movement of their large muscle are known as kinesthetic learners.

  Not every learner is a pure type. A visual learner is usually capable of learning through the sense of hearing though not as easily as when the information is presented visually. A problem arises when one or both of the following cases exist: First, when the learner is highly dependent on one mode. For example, if the learner is strictly auditory, he/she is apt to miss some of the information if the information is not always presented strictly in the auditory mode . Second, when the information is presented in a mode different from his/her preferred mode. For example, a strongly visual student would not do well in a class where the teacher is presenting the information in a strictly auditory mode.

  3. Poor self-concept and failure in School

Many teachers strongly believe that the child’s positive self-concept is a prime determiner of success in school as well as in recovery from reading problems. Self-esteem is usually developed at a very early age through the reactions of the child’s primary care takers. The child’s belief in his/her ability to succeed can make all the difference.

  It is never too late to rebuild the positive self-concept of a child who lacks confidence. The parents can make the change happen through positive body language including facial expressions and tone of voice and through affirmation. They can treat the child  with an attitude that reflects their confidence that he/she will be successful and that they believe in his/her ability to achieve. Affirmations are also very effective. Parents can use expressions that reflect belief that the child is capable of succeeding.

  4. Lack of motivation and failure in School

Success is a powerful motivator. We tend to enjoy doing the things that we are successful at or at least the things that we feel we can be successful at. Motivation through success is a very important factor in improving reading ability because the slow reader is usually discouraged and lacks the motivation to read. It is necessary for a  child learning to read and especially for one who has difficulty in reading to read regularly in order to be successful. Motivation through success can be practiced by the parents or the teacher who works with the child to improve his/her reading. The child should be given reading tasks that are challenging yet attainable. The child’s motivation will improve as he/she succeeds in accomplishing the task. Next, the child should be given more challenging tasks which are still attainable. Success makes the child want to continue to read and to accomplish the reading tasks because he/she enjoys the praise from others and the pride of succeeding in accomplishing a task.

5. The presence of a learning disability

A reading problem is usually related to knowledge and practice. For example, if a child is having difficulty with vowel sounds, he/she needs to understand the vowel sounds and to practice on reading words which contain vowel sounds. By contrast, reading disabilities are related to how the information is processed as it passes from the eyes to the brain. In some cases the information is reversed, turned upside down or distorted in other ways. This problem cannot be solved through knowledge and practice because a reading disability is a physiological condition. The specialist conducting the remediation has to correct the condition that causes the problem, or to train the patient to compensate for the problem.

Are all reading problems curable?

Most reading problems are curable. However, it is important to have an accurate diagnosis (description of the problem) and a plan for remediation based on the diagnosis. It is also important not to expect immediate results and one has to be patient and persistent in following the plan.

Why can’t the school alone take care of my child’s reading problem?

Generally, the school alone cannot take care of a child’s reading problem. The reason is that the elementary teacher is not trained to solve reading problems. Usually the elementary teachers are required to take only one or two reading courses. They are responsible for teaching twenty of more students how to read. That does not leave them enough time to pay attention to one or two students who are lagging behind. A reading specialist is the person who is qualified to diagnose and remedy reading problems. A reading specialist is required to earn at least a Master’s degree in reading and to have the experience of at least three years of teaching reading. However, not every school has a reading specialist. Even when a reading specialist is available, he/she has a limited amount of time to spend with a given student. To make matters even worse, when a reading specialist spends a limited time with a student, the time is dedicated to instruction. Instruction without practice is not very productive. The student needs to practice what he/she learns while working with the reading specialist. This is best done at home with the help of a parent or a tutor.

What is the difference between a reading problem and a learning disability? How do I know that my child’s reading problem is not related to a reading disability?

We receive information through our senses. Our eyes, noses, ears, tongues, and skin send signals to the brain . The brain interprets the information and sends back signals to body parts in response to the information. A learning disability, put simply, is a problem with the nervous system that causes the messages from the sense organs to the brain or from the brain to the various parts of the body not to be transmitted accurately.

A reading problem is usually related to knowledge and practice. For example, if a child is having difficulty with vowel sounds, he/she needs to understand the vowel sounds and to practice on reading words which contain vowel sounds. By contrast, reading disabilities are related to how the information is processed as it passes from the eyes to the brain. In some cases the information is reversed, turned upside down or distorted in other ways. This problem cannot be solved through knowledge and practice because a reading disability is a physiological condition. The specialist conducting the remediation has to correct the condition that causes the problem, or to train the patient to compensate for the problem.

The diagnosis of learning disabilities is usually done by school personnel who specialize in diagnosing learning disabilities. A learning disability is very hard to diagnose because there are many factors that makes a reading problem look like a learning disability. To be sure of the diagnosis, one should first make sure that the child learns all the reading skills appropriate to his/her age, that the teaching is compatible with the child’s learning style, and that motivation and a  reasonable degree of self-esteem exist. If all these conditions exist and the child still cannot read, the parents should talk to the teacher, the principal, or the school psychologist about testing the child to find out if there is a reading disability.

Why is it important to understand a reading problem before attempting to solve it?

Understanding a reading problem before attempting to solve it is very important. In order to treat a reading difficulty, it is important to know the nature of this difficulty so that the remedial plan matches the areas of difficulty. There are four areas of reading skills:

1. Decoding is the ability to turn the letter combinations into sounds. Generally, the children from Kindergarten through third grade learn how to solve words.

2. Vocabulary: to understand new words and use them. Ways to find the meanings for new words.

3. Comprehension: Understanding what a person reads.

4. Strategies: To be aware of one’s own reading process. To use reading skills to understand the text independently.

Each one the above areas in turn consists of a number of sub-skills. When a reading specialist searches for the causes of a reading problem, he/she conducts what is known as a diagnosis. The diagnosis is finding out what the problem is and describing it in a way that makes it possible to write a remedial plan.

A diagnosis could make use of the the following:

1. Diagnostic testing

2. Student academic history including achievement test scores and possible anecdotes

3. Health and emotional factors

  What is dyslexia? Is it curable?

Dyslexia is a learning disability that is often genetic. It interferes with the acquisition of language including phonological processing, reading , writing, spelling, and handwriting. Dyslexia is a condition where the brain is not getting the correct message from the eyes because the nervous system is unable to transmit the message. Dyslexia is not a result of lack of motivation or inadequate instruction; it is a lifelong issue. However, individuals with dyslexia often respond successfully to appropriate intervention. Strategies and skills can be taught, but the processing difficulties that cause the dyslexia cannot be cured. In other words, dyslexia itself cannot be cured, but the sufferer can learn how to cope with it and how to function in spite of it. Dyslexia can be diagnosed only by a physician and not by a reading specialist or a teacher.

Many dyslexics are intelligent and go on to college and succeed with assistance and with helpful strategies and arrangements. Albert Einstein, Sir Winston Churchill, and Nelson Rockefeller were all dyslexics.

 What are learning styles and how important are they in the process of learning to read?

We learn about the world through our senses. Those who learn best through the sense of vision are called visual learners. Those who learn through the sense of hearing are called auditory learners. Some people learn through the sense of touch. They are called tactile learners. Persons who learn best through the movement of their large muscle are known as kinesthetic learners.

Not every learner belongs strictly to one style or another . A visual learner is usually capable of learning through the sense of hearing though not as easily as when the information is presented visually. The learner is at a disadvantage he/she is highly dependent on one style. For example, if the learner is  strongly auditory, he/she is apt to miss some of the information if the information is not always presented in the auditory style.  In addition, the learner is also at a disadvantage if the information is presented in a style different from his/her preferred style. For example, a visual student would not do well in a class where the teacher always presents the information in a strictly auditory style.