Maybe it was a note on the report card. Maybe it was bedtime reading that ended in tears again. Or maybe you've just noticed that your child's friends are reading chapter books while your child is still stuck on simple words. However you found out, the feeling is the same: worry, and a long list of questions.
The good news is that reading problems are very fixable, especially when they're caught early. This guide walks you through exactly what to do first, and what to do after that, so you can stop wondering and start helping.
THE SHORT ANSWER
If your child is behind in reading, start by talking to their teacher to find out exactly which reading skills are weak. Then get your child's vision and hearing checked, ask for a reading assessment that pinpoints the gap, and start structured, phonics-based help right away. Don't wait to see if they catch up on their own, and don't wait for a formal diagnosis to begin.
Why acting early matters
It's tempting to wait. Lots of well-meaning people will tell you that every child learns at their own pace, or that your child will "click" next year. Some children do. But many don't, and the gap between a struggling reader and their classmates tends to grow each year, because reading is how children learn almost everything else.
Dyslexia Canada notes that while it's never too late to learn to read, intervention works best when it starts in Kindergarten or Grade 1. Early help is also faster help: a child who gets the right instruction in Grade 1 or 2 usually needs far less of it than a child who starts in Grade 5.
So if something feels off, trust that feeling. Looking into it costs you very little. Waiting can cost your child a lot.
Step 1: Talk to your child's teacher (this is the first thing)
Your child's teacher sees them read every day and has information you don't. Ask for a meeting, in person or by phone, and go in with specific questions. "How is my child doing?" usually gets a vague answer. These get useful ones:
Where is my child compared with what's expected for their grade right now?
Which skills are the problem: knowing letter sounds, sounding out words, reading smoothly, or understanding what they read?
What were my child's early reading screening results, and what do they mean?
What extra support is my child getting at school, how often, and in what size group?
How will we know if it's working, and when will we check again?
If you're in Ontario, ask about the early reading screening. Since 2023, all publicly funded schools must screen students in Year 2 of Kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 2, and the results show up on the first report card of the year. If your child didn't meet the benchmark, the teacher should be able to tell you which skills held them back.
Bring your own observations too. Write down what you see at home: words your child guesses at, how long a page takes, whether they avoid reading, and how they spell. Teachers find these notes genuinely helpful.
Step 2: Find out which reading skill is the problem
"Behind in reading" can mean very different things, and the right help depends on which one it is. Reading is built from a few separate skills:
Phonemic awareness: hearing and playing with the sounds in spoken words (for example, knowing that "cat" has three sounds: c-a-t).
Phonics and decoding: connecting letters to sounds and blending them to read words.
Fluency: reading accurately, at a good pace, and with expression.
Vocabulary and comprehension: understanding the words and the meaning of what's read.
For most children in the early grades, the problem sits in the first two: they can't yet reliably turn letters into sounds and sounds into words. A child who looks like they have a "comprehension problem" is often just spending so much effort on each word that there's nothing left over for meaning.
A good reading assessment tells you exactly where the breakdown is. At Novel Tutoring, every child starts with an Orton-Gillingham-based literacy assessment that checks these skills one by one, so the plan targets your child's actual gaps instead of guessing.
If you're seeing signs like trouble remembering letter sounds, guessing at words from the first letter, or spelling that doesn't match the sounds in a word, our guide to the signs of dyslexia by grade can help you know what to look for.
Step 3: Rule out vision and hearing
This step is easy to skip, but it matters. A child who can't see the print clearly or can't hear the difference between similar sounds will struggle to read, and no amount of tutoring will fix a problem that's really about their eyes or ears.
Vision: book an eye exam with an optometrist. In Ontario, OHIP covers a yearly eye exam for children 19 and under.
Hearing: ask your family doctor or pediatrician about a hearing test, especially if your child had lots of ear infections when they were younger.
If both come back clear, you've ruled out two possible causes and can focus on reading instruction with confidence.
Step 4: Start the right kind of help, now
This is the most important step. Not all reading help is the same, and more of the wrong kind of practice won't close the gap.
What works
Decades of reading research point to structured literacy: teaching that is explicit, systematic and builds step by step from sounds to words to sentences. The Orton-Gillingham (OG) approach is one of the best-known structured literacy methods. It's multi-sensory, so children see, say, hear and write each sound pattern, and it doesn't move on until a skill is solid. It was designed for children with dyslexia, but it helps any child who is struggling to learn to read.
What to watch out for
Guessing strategies. If your child is being taught to guess words from the picture or the first letter, that can hide the problem rather than fix it. Strong readers sound words out; they don't guess.
"Just read more." Reading practice matters, but a child who can't decode yet needs to be taught how first. Practice alone mostly practises frustration.
Help that's too spread out. One short session a week rarely moves a struggling reader forward. Most children need focused instruction two or more times a week.
You don't need a diagnosis to start
Many parents think they have to wait for a formal diagnosis before getting help. You don't. The Ontario Human Rights Commission's Right to Read report says schools shouldn't wait for a psychoeducational assessment before giving a struggling student more intensive support, and the same is true for families. Wait times for school board assessments can stretch from one to three years. That's too long for a child to go without help.
Step 5: Support reading at home (without the battles)
You don't have to become your child's reading teacher. A few small habits make a real difference:
Keep it short. Ten to fifteen focused minutes a day beats an hour of struggle on the weekend.
Use decodable books. These use only the letter patterns your child has learned, so they can actually sound out the words and feel successful. Ask your child's tutor or teacher which patterns they're working on.
Keep reading aloud to them. Reading to your child builds vocabulary and a love of stories, even while their own reading is still catching up.
Praise effort, not speed. Say "You worked hard to sound that out" rather than "Good job, that was fast."
Protect their confidence. Many struggling readers decide they're "not smart." Tell your child plainly that their brain is learning to read in its own way, and that with the right teaching, it will.
Step 6: Decide whether you need a formal assessment
If your child is still struggling after a few months of good, structured instruction, or if you're seeing many signs of dyslexia, it may be time for a psychoeducational assessment. This is done by a psychologist and is what's used to formally diagnose dyslexia or another learning disability. It can also help your child get accommodations and an Individual Education Plan (IEP) at school.
You can request one through the school in writing, usually through the teacher or the Special Education Resource Teacher (SERT). It's free, but there's often a long wait. Private assessments are faster but typically cost a few thousand dollars, and some workplace health plans cover part of the cost. Either way, keep the reading help going while you wait.
A quick recap: your first-steps checklist
Book a meeting with your child's teacher and bring specific questions.
Ask for your child's early reading screening results (Ontario, SK to Grade 2).
Book an eye exam and ask about a hearing test.
Get a reading assessment that shows exactly which skills are weak.
Start structured, phonics-based help, two or more times a week.
Build a short, positive reading routine at home.
Request a psychoeducational assessment if struggles continue, and keep helping while you wait.
How Novel Tutoring helps children who are behind in reading
At Novel Tutoring, our one-on-one online literacy tutoring and dyslexia tutoring use the Orton-Gillingham approach. Every child starts with a literacy assessment so we know exactly where the gaps are. A tutor trained in structured literacy then works with your child one-on-one, two or more times a week, and you get a progress report every week, so you always
know how your child is doing. Sessions are available seven days a week, including before school, after school and evenings.
For families in Toronto who want to make faster progress, our Intensive Reading Course offers a full week of one-on-one, in-person reading instruction.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my child is behind in reading?
Common signs include trouble remembering letter sounds, guessing at words instead of sounding them out, reading much more slowly than classmates, avoiding reading, and spelling that doesn't match the sounds in words. Your child's teacher and their early reading screening results can tell you where they are compared with grade-level expectations.
Can a child who is behind in reading catch up?
Yes. With explicit, structured instruction, most struggling readers make strong progress. The earlier help starts, the faster children tend to catch up, but it's never too late to learn to read.
Should I wait for the school to help, or get a tutor?
You don't have to choose. Start by working with the school, and ask exactly what support your child is getting. If it's not enough to close the gap, or your child isn't making progress within a few months, one-on-one structured literacy tutoring can add the intensity they need.
Is my child behind in reading because of dyslexia?
Not always. Children can fall behind for many reasons, including missed instruction, vision or hearing problems, or attention difficulties. But if your child keeps struggling with sounding out words and spelling even with good teaching, dyslexia is worth looking into.
How much should my child read at home each day?
Ten to fifteen focused minutes a day is a great start for a struggling reader, using books they can actually decode. Add time for you to read aloud to them as well.
NOT SURE WHERE TO START?
You don't have to figure this out alone. Book a free 30-minute consultation with a Novel Tutoring specialist. We'll talk through what you're seeing at home and at school, answer your questions, and help you plan your child's next steps. No obligation.
Sources
• Dyslexia Canada, Universal Screening (dyslexiacanada.org/screening)
• Ontario Human Rights Commission, Right to Read Inquiry Report, sections on early screening and professional assessments (ohrc.on.ca)
• Ontario Ministry of Education, Policy/Program Memorandum 168: Reading Screening (ontario.ca)
• Western University, Early reading screening Q&A with Dr. Katelyn Bryant (news.westernu.ca)
