Struggling Readers
Practical support for readers who need more
What Is Struggling Readers?
Struggling Readers brings together the guidance for readers who need more than strong core instruction alone — covering dyslexia-informed teaching, multilingual learners, progress monitoring, and decision points for when support should intensify.
This pillar helps parents and teachers recognize patterns early and respond clearly. The articles below go deeper into specific support routes so you can choose the next step that matches the reader in front of you.
Audiobooks and Phonics: Helpful Supplement or Decoding Shortcut?
Ask a room full of parents whether audiobooks “count” as reading, and you’ll get a sharply divided answer. Some swear by them as the thing that…
Read articleDyslexia Myths That Are Still Hurting Kids
If misinformation about dyslexia were harmless, this article wouldn’t need to exist. But the myths still circulating in schools, pediatric offices,…
Read articleThe Dyslexia-Phonics Connection: Why Structured Literacy Is Non-Negotiable
If you’re reading this because something feels off with your child’s reading, trust that instinct. Roughly one in five kids in any classroom shows…
Read articleIEP Goals and Phonics: What to Ask For and Why
If you’ve already sat through an IEP meeting and walked out feeling like the reading goals were soft, vague, or weirdly disconnected from what your…
Read articleProgress Monitoring in Phonics: What Parents Should Be Asking Schools
Most parents only hear about reading problems when it’s already late in the game. A vague comment at a parent-teacher conference, a worrying score on…
Read articleRed Flags vs. Normal Variation: How to Tell If Your Child Needs Help
Here’s something most parents don’t realize: Two five-year-olds sitting side by side in the same kindergarten classroom can be months apart in their…
Read articleAdopted Children and Phonics: Addressing Gaps from Disrupted Early Language Exposure
Before a child ever sees a letter on a page, their brain is already building the architecture for reading. It happens through thousands of hours of…
Read articlePhonics for Students with Visual Processing Difficulties
Your child passed the eye exam with flying colors, but they still mix up “b” and “d,” lose their place on the page, and get frustrated every time…
Read articleMultilingual Learners at Home: Phonics When English Is the Second Language
Your family speaks Spanish at home, but your child is learning to read in English at school. Or perhaps your household runs on Mandarin, Arabic, or…
Read articleFrequently asked questions
When should parents worry about reading progress?
Concern is warranted when difficulty is persistent across time and settings, especially after a child has had regular instruction and still struggles with core decoding behaviors.
Does slower progress always mean dyslexia?
No. Slower progress can have many causes. A pattern of persistent difficulty despite good instruction is a signal to assess further, not an automatic diagnosis.
What should happen first when a student is struggling?
Start by confirming the reader is getting explicit, systematic instruction, then use brief assessments to pinpoint the specific skills that need targeted support.
Related Sections
Phonics 101
Core concepts, sequencing, and the instructional foundations behind effective phonics teaching.
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Phonics Skills
Individual decoding skills from letter sounds and CVC words through vowel teams and syllable types.
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Science of Reading
The research behind how children learn to read, and what it means for instruction.
Explore Research →