What If My Child Is Struggling With Reading in Kindergarten or First Grade?

 First - Is this just something that you have observed? Or has the teacher expressed concern as well?

If the teacher hasn't expressed concern, start by asking the teacher about your child's reading and tell her that you are concerned. Need some questions to ask?

Try these infographics for good questions to ask:

Route to Reading: Check for Potholes

Route to Reading: Do Regular Performance Checks 

If you are given things to do at home that don't seem to be right or that are not working for you, try this infographic:

Route to Reading: Avoid a Lemon

Or watch this video:

If your concern runs deeper than just thinking your child is struggling and you want the school to test your child, you will need to Request an Evaluation. You have to use that terminology and you have to do it in writing. 

Sidebar: I think that all coorespondance with the school should be in writing. It's the only way to track that things are happening (or not happening).

Here is a great little article from Understood.org that breaks down how to request a School Evaluation 

6 Steps for Requesting a School Evaluation

You know your child best. If you think something is wrong, there probably is. Maybe it's a learning disability, maybe it is the instruction that your child is receiving, but either way, it's important to act fast. Children who receive systematic evidence-based instruction and interventions in the earliest grades are less likely to fail or fall behind later (3rd or 4th grade) when teachers expect them to read to learn rather than learn to read.