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March is National Reading Month and the perfect time to evaluate your child’s reading and comprehension skills.

Often, it’s thought that children begin learning to read in the first grade. That is the time when classroom teachers begin to move from sight memorization to simple spelling and phonics. However, learning to read really begins at home when a child can associate a word with a picture.

Experts agree that the fundamentals of reading begin very early in a child’s life. Parents lay a sound foundation by reading picture books to their infants and toddlers. The National Center for Education Statistics reports that children who are regularly read to at home, three or more times a week, become more proficient readers and receive higher grades compared to classmates who did not receive that parental attention.

Some children easily take to reading. They enjoy it and they ask for new books to read. Some children are slower to want to read on their own. Not wanting to read does not always indicate a reading problem. Some children just need less television time to encourage them to want to read. The U.S. Department of Education lists several tips for parents who are concerned about their child’s lack of enthusiasm to read. Below are a few questions parents should ask themselves about their early readers:

Preschool

• Age three or four: Does my child remember nursery rhymes and understand how to play rhyming games?
• Age four: Can my child get information or directions from conversations or books that are read aloud?

Early Elementary

• Kindergarten: Is my child beginning to identify, name, and write letters and numbers?
• First Grade: Can my child play simple word games in which two or more words start with the same sound?
• First and Second Grade: Can my child break words into smaller parts?
• Third Grade: Does my child enjoy reading?

Early detection is the best way to get in front of a reading problem. Here are some key considerations: Has your child’s teacher made you aware of a possible reading problem? Does your child take an unusual amount of time to do homework, have problems recalling what was just read, or have difficulties in several class subjects? These can be key indicators of a reading problem. The good news, according to Larry Schwartz, tutoring industry expert and founder of Tutoring Club, is that any child can learn to read with the right instruction.

Tutoring Club’s diagnostic testing programs help pinpoint skill gaps. Working with parents and teachers Tutoring Club will create an individualized plan to help any child get back on academic track. “It’s my experience that when children receive the proper tools to help them succeed, every aspect of their life changes,” explains Schwartz. “Tutoring lets children know their parents care for them. They begin to feel encouraged. Their self-esteem gets a boost, and once their grades begin to go up they realize they can do just about anything. It is truly amazing to watch a child transition from ‘I can’t’ to ‘I CAN’, that’s why I’m in the tutoring business, to change lives one child at a time.”

For further information, contact: Chad Schwartz, Tutoring Club, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it