Diagnosing Reading Difficulties in Children: How Progress-Monitoring Data Helps Teach What They Truly Need
As a reading tutor, one of the most important parts of my job is figuring out why a child is struggling—and what specific instruction will make reading easier and more joyful for them. Children don’t struggle with reading for the same reasons, so using guesswork or one-size-fits-all instruction rarely helps. Instead, I rely on careful observation, targeted assessments, and ongoing progress-monitoring data to understand each child’s unique reading profile.
Here’s how I approach diagnosing reading difficulties and using data to guide meaningful, effective instruction.
Step 1: Look Beneath the Surface
When a child says reading is “hard,” that can mean many different things. The first step is identifying which skills are creating the barrier. Common areas I look at include:
1. Phonemic Awareness
Can the child hear individual sounds in words? Can they blend, segment, or manipulate sounds?
Weaknesses here make phonics and decoding extremely challenging.
2. Phonics and Decoding
Does the child know sound-spelling patterns? Can they use them accurately and efficiently to read unfamiliar words?
3. Sight Word Recognition
Are high-frequency words automatic, or does the child labor over every word?
4. Fluency
Does the child read smoothly and at an appropriate pace, or is reading slow and effortful?
5. Vocabulary and Language Comprehension
Do they understand what words mean? Can they follow multi-sentence or multi-paragraph ideas?
6. Comprehension Strategies
Can they summarize, infer, visualize, or make connections?
These skill areas work together. A weakness in one can affect several others, so pinpointing the root cause matters.
Step 2: Use Progress-Monitoring Data to Pinpoint Growth and Gaps
Initial assessment gives me a snapshot, but progress monitoring tells the story of a child’s learning over time.
Weekly or biweekly check-ins help answer essential questions like:
Is the child improving with the current intervention?
Which skills are moving, and which are not?
Do we need to intensify instruction—or shift strategies entirely?
Is the student ready for the next skill layer?
I collect data through:
✓ Timed reading checks
✓ Phoneme segmentation fluency
✓ Accuracy and pattern error analysis
✓ Brief comprehension probes
✓ Encoding checks
These quick assessments don’t interrupt learning—they guide it.
Step 3: Turn Data Into Actionable Instruction
Data is powerful only if we use it purposefully. I take what I see in the numbers and translate it into tailored instruction.
For example:
If a child’s accuracy is low because of vowel confusion → we strengthen short-vowel and long-vowel patterns with explicit practice.
If fluency is stagnating → we build repeated reading routines and phrasing work.
If phonemic awareness is low → I add daily oral sound manipulation exercises.
If comprehension is shaky but decoding is strong → we shift more time to vocabulary, language structure, and reading-to-learn strategies.
If encoding is no accurate → we shift more time to more word word and spelling pattern practice and learning.
The goal is always the same: teach the child exactly what they need next—not what the curriculum map says should happen next.
Step 4: Share the Data With Families and Students
Children feel empowered when they see their own progress. Even small wins—“You read 10 more correct words this week than last week!”—help build confidence.
Parents also appreciate knowing:
what their child is working on
the specific skills improving
where continued support is needed
how they can help at home
Transparent communication turns everyone into partners in the child’s reading journey.
The Importance of Practice
I often tell my students that learning to read is a lot like learning to ride a two-wheel bike. At first it feels wobbly and hard, and staying balanced takes a lot of practice. The same is true for reading—children need regular, supported practice to grow stronger and more confident. Parents play a big role by helping create time and space for that practice at home. Research consistently shows that daily reading to your child and with your child makes a powerful difference in their progress.
It’s important to use a mix of texts during reading time. Easier books—where your child knows almost every word—are wonderful for building prosody (reading with expression) and fluency. More challenging books, where they need help decoding unfamiliar words, build essential skills too. The key is not to rely on just one type. Instead, balance both while keeping an eye on how long your child is reading. We want practice to feel enjoyable, not exhausting.
Above all, keep reading fun. Celebrate small wins, keep sessions short and positive, and choose books that spark curiosity. When reading feels rewarding, kids are much more likely to want to come back for more.
Why This Approach Works
Using data to guide instruction removes the guesswork. It ensures that:
every lesson is targeted
no skill gaps go unnoticed
students move forward at their own pace
progress is measurable and motivating
instruction is responsive rather than routine
The ultimate goal is not just to help children read—but to help them believe they are readers.
And when we diagnose early, teach intentionally, and monitor growth with care, reading becomes less of a hurdle and more of a doorway.
