My Child has a Learning Disability in reading

This page is dedicated to Learning Disability in Reading. See separate pages for a description of Learning Disability in Writing and Learning Disability in Math.

Other types of learning disabilities can also occur. For example, a child with intellectual disability or language impairment could have difficulty mastering reading, writing, and math. These other forms of learning difficulty are described separately.

Essential skill: rEADING decoding/ Phonics

Reading is a learned skill. Your child will only master reading if they are exposed to words in print, and if they are exposed to some reading instruction. The essential skill that is critical for reading success is reading decoding. Actually, your child needs to both master decoding and also decode fluently or quickly. Click on the button at the bottom of this page if you wish to look at the entire framework of essential skills that make up reading. By knowing the full framework, you will have a deeper understanding of the importance of the essential skill of reading decoding or phonics (discussed below) and reading in general.

Phonics.

Reading requires decoding. Decoding refers to the skill of linking a printed word with its equivalent in spoken language. Writing is visual. When engaged in reading decoding, we translate visual information (symbols, letters) into language. The technical term for this skill is ‘phonics.’ Phonics describes the (codified) relationship between spoken words and words in print.

Phonics is a two-way skill. Just as we ‘decode’ text when we look at text in print and translate the printed word into spoken words, we can also encode spoken words and ‘translate’ them into print. Encoding means taking spoken language and translating it into print (writing). Your child will not become a good decoder unless they are also a good encoder. These two skills are inter-dependent and support each other. for struggling decoders, both decoding and encoding need to be taught together.

what it looks like when reading decoding is missing or under-developed.

ready for a deeper dive?

Click on the button below if you are interested in looking at the entire Reading Skills Framework. When you understand the entire Reading Skills Framework, you will have a deeper understanding of why children struggle to read, and what can be done to improve their reading skills.