Inconsistent word reading can show that the child has not fully mapped the sounds and spellings yet. Does your child read a word correctly on one page and miss it on the next?

Guessing often means the child is relying on pictures, memory, or context instead of the sound to symbol relationship in words. Children need a solid word attack strategy to rely on. For your chronic guesser: Cover the picture and ask, "What sounds do we say when we see these letters?" instead of "What word would make sense?" By asking your child which word will make sense, they may come up with a much better word than is in the text, defeating the purpose. It could lead to the child misunderstanding the purpose of words and how they are represented.

Hello Reading Skool Community! I'll be stepping away from the community until the week of May 18th. I'll be moderating but not posting anything new until then. It's not the end of the school year for my students but my daughter at college needs a hand moving out of her dorm at Rutgers and into her summer job dorm in Ohio. 🚙 Anyone else making crazy road trips for their college kids?

If your child is bright, curious, and full of ideas but reading is still a real struggle, you're probably wondering why. Here's what I want you to hold onto: a child can be very smart and still struggle with reading. Reading is a learned skill, and some kids need it taught more explicitly and directly than others. That's not a flaw. It's just how their brain is wired. When kids don't get that clear instruction, they start guessing — from the first letter, from pictures, from context. It works for a while, then falls apart as books get harder. The shift that helps most: instead of "they should get this by now," try "they're smart — we just haven't found the missing piece yet." That reframe matters because struggling readers already feel the weight of falling behind. Our job is to protect their confidence while we build the skills. Let's talk 👇 What do you see that makes you think "smart kid, but reading isn't clicking"? Guessing from the first letter? Memorizing words one day and forgetting them the next? Shutting down during homework? Share what you're noticing. Your answer might help another parent feel less alone.

When a child has both dyslexia and ADHD, it helps to support both needs clearly and intentionally. Some strategies are especially helpful for attention and self-regulation, some are especially important for reading, and some support both. Helpful for ADHD - Break tasks into smaller parts - Give one-step directions - Use predictable routines to reduce decision making - Build in movement breaks - Keep work sessions short and focused - Use visual reminders and checklists - Reduce distractions in the work space - Give immediate feedback and encouragement Helpful for Dyslexia - Teach reading in a clear, direct, step-by-step way - Give explicit instruction in sounds, decoding, spelling patterns, fluency, and comprehension - Provide guided reading practice instead of expecting skills to develop through exposure alone - Use audiobooks along with printed text - Practice rereading to build fluency and confidence - Allow extra time for reading-heavy work Helpful for Both - Celebrate effort, persistence, and progress - Read with the child through shared reading or echo reading - Create opportunities for success every day - Stay patient and consistent while skills build over time Which of these has helped most in your home or classroom?