Every child learns to read at their own pace, so it can be hard to tell whether your child simply needs more time or would benefit from some extra help. The good news is that the earlier you notice a gap, the easier it usually is to close.
Signs your child may need reading help
- They guess words from the first letter or the picture instead of sounding them out.
- They still mix up letter sounds that their classmates seem to know well.
- Blending sounds together into a word (c-a-t, cat) is a real struggle.
- They avoid reading, get upset at reading time or say “I can’t”.
- Their spelling doesn’t match the sounds in the word.
- They can read a word on one page but not recognise it on the next.
What you can check at home
Ask your child to tell you the sound (not the name) of a few letters, then try some simple three-letter words. Listen for whether they sound out and blend, or guess. Notice how they feel about reading as well as how accurate they are — confidence matters just as much as skill.
Why a screening helps
Noticing that something isn’t clicking is the first step. A screening tells you exactly where the gap is. At Reading Bees, every primary student starts with a short, 20-minute screening that shows which phonics skills your child already has and which are missing. We then place them in a small group working on those exact skills, rather than a one-size-fits-all class.
Next steps
If any of the signs above sound familiar, you don’t need to wait and see. Book a primary reading screening or learn more about our Primary Program for Prep to Year 3.
