Is Your Child a Struggling Reader? 10 Early Signs Parents Often Miss
- Manpreet Kaur
- 7 days ago
- 2 min read
TLP BLOG
Many children show subtle reading struggles long before parents notice — here’s how to recognize them early and support your child with confidence. Date: November 21, 2025
Most parents don’t realise their child is struggling with reading until frustration, avoidance, or low confidence become apparent. But early signs appear long before reading levels drop — and the earlier you spot them, the easier it is to help.
At The Learners Pathway, we meet families every week searching for Kids Reading Classes Edmonton, Struggling Reader Support Edmonton, and Reading Help for Kids Edmonton who say, “I wish I had caught this sooner.”
Here are the 10 signs most parents miss — and what they really mean.
1. Guessing words based on the first letter
This is one of the strongest indicators of weak phonics foundations.
2. Skipping small words
Words like a, the, in anchor meaning. Skipping them disrupts comprehension.
3. Avoiding reading aloud
Avoidance = anxiety. Strong readers love reading out loud.
4. Losing focus within 30–60 seconds
Low reading stamina is tied to weak decoding (research: National Reading Panel).
5. Memorizing books instead of actually reading them
If your child “knows the book” but can’t read another of similar difficulty, pay attention.
6. Still sounding out simple CVC words in Grade 2–3
This is a sign that decoding skills are not sticking.
7. Trouble with big words
Kids should be able to break down multi-syllable words using patterns — not freeze at them.
8. Difficulty retelling a story
If accuracy is low, comprehension is weak.
9. Guessing meanings of new words
Vocabulary growth stalls when decoding is a struggle.
10. Lack of confidence during reading
The MOST important sign. Confidence reveals everything.
What you can do this week
Pick one short book. Sit with your child. Read together for 10 minutes. Observe the signs above — you’ll learn more in ten minutes than in ten worksheets.
If your child shows 3 or more signs…
They may benefit from structured support.
Explore our Phonics Program Edmonton and English Foundation Program — research-based, child-centred, and designed to build confident, independent readers.
