Signs of Dyslexia in Kindergarten
One study followed children from age 3½ to age 8 (Thompson and colleagues, 2015). In that study, predicting dyslexia for one child became reliable only close to school entry. At that point, three skills checked together worked well. One sign on its own tells you little. In our view, ask the school whether it checks reading skills.
TL;DR
- One study followed children from age 3½ to age 8 (Thompson and colleagues, 2015). In that study, predicting dyslexia for one child became reliable only close to school entry. At that point, three skills checked together worked well. They were knowing letters, hearing the sounds in words, and naming things quickly. One sign on its own tells you little.
- In our view, ask the school whether it checks reading skills, and what it found. Ask which letters and sounds have been taught so far.
- A federal panel looked at studies of children up to age 5 (National Early Literacy Panel, 2008). Six early skills predicted later reading and writing. They did so for children both before and in kindergarten. These are findings about groups of children. They are not a checklist for one child.
- Notice which letters and sounds stick after teaching, and which do not.
- Reading improves with reading instruction. If letters and sounds do not stick after teaching, tell the teacher what you see. Find which job of reading is going wrong, and work on that one. The exception is a skill that was there and has gone. Our position is that a lost skill goes to a doctor first, not a tutor.
Dyslexia is a name for a pattern of trouble reading words, spelling, or both. Struggling to read says nothing about how smart your child is.
”DyslexiaWhat can a check at the start of school tell you?
One study followed children from age 3½ to age 8 (Thompson and colleagues, 2015). In that study, predicting dyslexia for one child became reliable only close to school entry.
At that point, three skills checked together worked well. They were knowing letters, hearing the sounds in words, and naming things quickly. Family history was not one of the three. These are findings about groups of children. They are not a checklist for one child.
In our view, ask the school whether it checks reading skills, and what it found. Ask which letters and sounds have been taught so far.
What early-reading research tracked
A federal panel looked at studies of children up to age 5 (National Early Literacy Panel, 2008). Six early skills predicted later reading and writing. They did so for children both before and in kindergarten. Knowing letter names and sounds was one of the six. These are findings about groups of children. They are not a checklist for one child. No study we hold makes one of these skills alone a sign of dyslexia.
What you can watch at home
Notice which letters and sounds stick after teaching, and which do not. One sign on its own tells you little. If letters and sounds do not stick after teaching, tell the teacher what you see.
Our page on signs of dyslexia lists signs to watch for.
What helps if letters and sounds do not stick
Reading improves with reading instruction.
Find which job of reading is going wrong, and work on that one. The exception is a skill that was there and has gone. Our position is that a lost skill goes to a doctor first, not a tutor.
Have hearing and vision checked too. A child who cannot hear well needs that found. So does a child who cannot see the print clearly.
Has anyone else in your family had trouble with reading or learning? If so, say so when you ask for help. No study we hold can predict one child's dyslexia from family history.
When to ask for help
Each of these is a reason to ask for help on its own.
- Little change, even with steady practice and good teaching.
- Reading well below what school expects.
- A teacher who raises a concern about reading.
- Extreme upset about reading.
- Complete avoidance of reading.
- Hopelessness about learning.
- Sadness or worry that lasts.
- Significant delays in speech, language or motor development.
- A skill that was there and has gone. Our position is that a lost skill goes to a doctor first, not a tutor.
If no skill has gone, start with the teacher. Say what you are seeing at home, and what you have tried. Beyond the teacher, the right person depends on what it turns out to be about. If the work is too hard, someone who works on that school skill. If worry or mood is the thing, someone who works with children's mental health. In our view, delays in speech, language or movement are worth raising with your child's doctor. In our view, if you are worried enough to ask, a professional evaluation is worth asking about.
Any talk of hurting themselves is a same-day call to your doctor or a crisis line.
In the classroom
Tell families which letters and sounds have been taught so far.
Check for a missed step early. Teach it again, and see what the child does with it.
Two sentences for an email home, then both lists: "We have been working on letter sounds this month. Here are the ones your child knows well, and the ones we are practicing now."
Key Takeaways
One study followed children from age 3½ to age 8 (Thompson and colleagues, 2015). In that study, predicting dyslexia for one child became reliable only close to school entry. At that point, three skills checked together worked well. They were knowing letters, hearing the sounds in words, and naming things quickly. One sign on its own tells you little.
In our view, ask the school whether it checks reading skills, and what it found. Ask which letters and sounds have been taught so far.
A federal panel looked at studies of children up to age 5 (National Early Literacy Panel, 2008). Six early skills predicted later reading and writing. These are findings about groups of children. They are not a checklist for one child.
Notice which letters and sounds stick after teaching, and which do not.
If letters and sounds do not stick after teaching, tell the teacher what you see. Find which job of reading is going wrong, and work on that one. The exception is a skill that was there and has gone. Our position is that a lost skill goes to a doctor first, not a tutor.
Read a picture book to your child. Stop at a few letters your child has been taught. Ask for each sound. Note which come easily and which do not. Take the note to the teacher.
”What to do tonightWhat to use next
A set of questions you answer about what you see at home. A screener is a starting point, not a diagnosis. If your child might need formal accommodations (an IEP or 504 plan), or you suspect a vision, hearing, or medical cause, pursue a professional evaluation too — that's the only route to those supports.
A short reading and spelling practice. Each word appears letter by letter. The picture comes only once the word is complete. So guessing from the image is not available. It includes writing words from memory. That practices the spelling and the writing of a word at the same time.
Common questions from parents
My kindergartener can't remember letters. Is it dyslexia?
One federal panel looked at studies of early skills (National Early Literacy Panel, 2008). Six early skills predicted later reading and writing. Knowing letter names and sounds was one of the six. These are findings about groups of children. They are not a checklist for one child. No study we hold makes one of these skills alone a sign of dyslexia. One sign on its own tells you little. Ask which letters and sounds have been taught so far. If letters and sounds do not stick after teaching, tell the teacher what you see.
What can a check at the start of school show?
One study followed children from age 3½ to age 8 (Thompson and colleagues, 2015). In that study, predicting dyslexia for one child became reliable only close to school entry. “Close to school entry” is the authors' phrase, not a school grade. At that point, three skills checked together worked well. They were knowing letters, hearing the sounds in words, and naming things quickly. These are findings about groups of children. They are not a checklist for one child. In our view, ask the school whether it checks reading skills, and what it found.
Should we ask the school whether it checks reading skills?
In our view, ask the school whether it checks reading skills, and what it found. One study followed children from age 3½ to age 8 (Thompson and colleagues, 2015). In that study, predicting dyslexia for one child became reliable only close to school entry. These are findings about groups of children. They are not a checklist for one child. Ask which letters and sounds have been taught so far.