Early Intervention is Key... Here is Why!

Did you know that many children’s reading difficulties can be PREVENTED through early interventions? Many researchers believe that through targeted early intervention, reading difficulties can be stopped before they even start.

When children are beginning kindergarten, many studies have been conducted to predict which children will struggle to learn how to read. The National Reading Panel, also identified these first two skills as “two best school-entry predictors of how well children will learn to read during the first 2 years of school”

1. Phonological awareness skills at the beginning of kindergarten

2. Letter knowledge at the beginning of kindergarten (which becomes a less useful predictor by the end of grade one)

Other Important Skills…

3. Letter naming speed at the beginning of kindergarten (some consider it the best predictor of future reading fluency)

4. Letter-sound naming at the end of kindergarten

5. Vocabulary level in kindergarten

6. Ability to recite the alphabet in kindergarten

7. Oral language in kindergarten

In our Latch Onto Literacy programs, we target these foundational literacy skills so that your child gets the best start to reading. One thing to consider, is that most of these predictors are at the beginning of kindergarten. If you are concerned about your child, don’t wait any longer than you already have. Get the best support possible for your child.

Citations

Foorman, B. R., Francis, D. J., Fletcher, J. M., Schatschneider, C., & Mehta, P. (1998). The role of instruction in learning to read: Preventing reading failure in at-risk-children. Journal of Educational Psychology, 90, 37–55.

National Reading Panel (U.S.) & National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (U.S.). (2000). Report of the National Reading Panel: Teaching children to read : an evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction. U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

Schatschneider,C., Fletcher, J.M., Francis, D. J., & Foorman, B.R. (2004). Kindergarten Prediction of Reading Skills: A Longitudinal Comparative Analysis. Journal of Educational Psychology, 96, 265-282.

Torgesen, J. K. (2000). Individual responses in response to early interventions in reading: The lingering problem of treatment resisters. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 15, 55–64.

Torgesen, J. K., & Wagner, R. K. (2002). Predicting reading ability. Journal of School Psychology, 40, 1–26.

Torgesen, J. K., Wagner, R. K., & Rashotte, C. A. (1999). Test of Word Reading Efficiency. Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.

Vellutino, F. R., Scanlon, D. M., Sipay, E. R., Small, S. G., Chen, R., Pratt, A., & Denckla, M. B. (1996). Cognitive profiles of difficult-to-remediate and readily remediated poor readers: Early intervention as a vehicle for distinguishing between cognitive and experiential deficits as basic causes of specific reading disability. Journal of Educational Psychology, 88, 601–638.