Your child was identified as needing additional reading support and has started receiving intervention. It can feel like there’s nothing more to do until report cards or end-of-year assessments are completed. But waiting that long can mean missing opportunities to adjust course while there’s still time left.
Understanding Types of Reading Support
You don’t need to be a reading expert to have an intentional conversation with your child’s teacher about their progress. A helpful way to understand is to hone in on the main area of reading where their intervention is focused. Our companion document Areas of Reading Development Parent Guide outlines four common areas:
- Pre-reading skills
- Word reading or phonics
- Oral reading fluency
- Reading comprehension
It’s normal for your child’s intervention to focus on one or two of these skill areas, but not more than that. Intervention should be clear and focused—working towards measurable goals.
As a parent, having a clear picture of the skill area your child is currently focused on and what progress in that area looks like puts you in a position to ask good questions and provide accountability.
What Parents Can Do for the Rest of the Semester
Short, intentional conversations with your child’s teacher show that you’re invested in collaboration and keep everyone aligned. Using the companion document as a reference point, ask for:
- A clear explanation of the reading skill area being targeted
- Evidence of progress since the beginning of the year
- A few specific goals for the remaining months of school
- Guidance on how you can support this work at home
You don’t need to become an expert on reading intervention. You just need enough information to ask questions and ensure your child is making real progress!
Want a simple way to track your child’s progress?
Download our Parent Guide to the Areas of Reading Development.
