Reading testing is something many schools, and states, are now mandating. The testing helps to provide information about the level of reading ability of the child. Reading words is not enough. Rather, the individual skills of the child are accessed. Doing this is not meant to embarrass or harm the child, but rather to provide specific information about skills. In cases where a group of students is struggling, this may indicate that a teaching program is not successful. In other cases, this type of negative result may be helpful to indicate to teachers and staff of the child’s particular needs.
What is the parent to do if he or she learns of a less than ideal outcome to reading testing? There are several steps a parent can take to make the situation better.
- Discuss with the child’s teacher the child’s areas of needs improvement.
- Work to develop a game plan to help address the particular areas that can provide the child with improvement. This plan may include additional practice, tutoring or re-learning important skills.
- Determine a path to success at home, too. The child may benefit from working one-on-one with a parent to improve skills. Regular practice of skills and reading ability will also be important in most cases.
- Retesting can also be helpful in a matter of months, after the child’s tutoring or other work has progressed.
- Readdress other issues and work to make reading a vital task to learn.
It is a combination of all of these aspects that will work to improve a child’s overall reading ability. While testing may not seem beneficial at the time, it can be a useful tool to point out areas where a child is in need of additional help. For many, this can be the first step in getting the help necessary to tackle reading programs now, before the child moves on and struggles for the rest of his life with reading difficulties. At any age, handling reading issues is an important step for improving the individual’s ability to perform not only in reading courses but across the board.