The school year is almost half way over and you are watching your child continue to struggle with reading. Teachers tell you that he/she will catch up eventually. Everyone tells you to read aloud to your child and they will learn to love to read. You are doing everything you are told to do, but you know the struggle is real and you see no improvement. You see the tears, frustration, and damage to self-esteem and realize that you need to take further steps. What type of reading instruction works best for struggling readers and how do you access such instruction?

According to the National Reading Panel there are 5 critical components of evidence-based (has a record of success) instruction for people with dyslexia.

1. Phonemic awareness instruction: Phonemic awareness is the ability to recognize that words are made up of individual sounds. This type of instruction teaches students to blend…