Why Students May Struggle With Reading?
                        Sound It Out!

The letters in the English language are symbols that stand for sounds.  A reader is actually using a code,
applying a sound to a symbol (letter).  That is why we tell readers to "sound it out."

Many words in the English language cause trouble and do not follow Standard English rules because English is
a melting pot of languages. However, most of our problems in our reading and spelling in English are caused by
vowels. Phonics Steps to Reading Success begins with the study of vowels. If students do not know their consonants, they must first learn these letter/sounds.  After that, phonics is easy to teach and easy to learn.  It is not difficult to teach.  Just teach students how to use the code of sounds and symbols.

Do you know someone who reads by guessing, substituting words, skipping words?  There may be nothing wrong with them.   They simply may be doing what they have been taught in school.

Over the past several generations, tens of millions of students have been taught to read using ineffective, experimental reading methods. The proponents of these methods thought that they were making it easier for students to learn how to read. There is now, however, a large body of scientific research that demonstrates how such methods may be somewhat effective in the primary grades, and considerably less effective beyond primary grades. Non-phonetic methods often require students to memorize long lists of words and then to guess at words, substitute words, skip words, or pronounce the first few letter sounds and then make up the rest of the word as long as it makes sense.

In primary grades, the individual's reading difficulty may be be obvious because of the reading level of materials.  Words are simple and there are many opportunities for the reader to rely on picture clues. Therefore, non-phonics strategies may appear to be effective reading, when in fact they are error-causing strategies. This becomes apparent as the reading matter becomes more difficult, comprehension suffers and test scores fall.

Yes, often times, parents or teachers assume that the reader is making mistakes. In fact, the reader is using the ineffective strategies that he or she has been taught to use.

Instructional Dyslexia?
Likewise, readers frequently feel there is something wrong with their own reading capabilities. In some cases, the readers may be erroneously labeled as dyslexic or learning disabled.  In fact, it may be that they just haven't been taught correctly. Try explicit phonics first!

It is very common for capable, bright individuals to struggle with reading because they guess at a word or substitute a word. Frequently, these readers have not had systematic, intensive, direct-instruction phonics. Phonics Steps are therefore the first steps to better reading, spelling, and comprehension. When teaching older students, the instructor must explain to them that they must not only learn to read and spell using phonics concepts, they must unlearn ineffective strategies.

Regardless of the age or ability of the student, foundational phonics steps are absolutely necessary. In fact, a solid foundation in successful phonics strategies will replace the unsuccessful skills which many struggling students have previously acquired. However, these old strategies of guessing, substitution, etc., may be hard to unlearn.  Therefore, phonics instruction is essential and patience is necessary.