Reading Problems

"Given the high prevalence of reading problems, it is much more likely for your child to have a reading problem than almost any other physical problem for which he is being checked."
Dr. Sally Shaywitz, "Overcoming Dyslexia"

"I believe we can end reading problems in America in a single generation"

From LearningRx founder Dr. Ken Gibson

My heart breaks for parents today. There is a reading crisis in America. According to The Nation's Report Card 2005™ published by the National Assessment of Educational Progress, two out of five US students can barely read. It touches one of three homes with school-age children. Is your home one of them? If it is, I know you're anxious for that child who cannot read well. In our society, life's opportunities are linked so closely to a person's ability to read that reading well is essential for success.

In this issue of LearningRx Magazine we examine the facts about reading, dyslexia (this technical sounding word simply means "difficulty with reading"), and effective methods to transform a struggling reader for a lifetime.

It is rare in our culture that having multiple choices for anything is perceived as a barrier. When I visit a Starbucks, I expect and enjoy the wide selection they afford me. Choices and options are something we're privileged to enjoy in this country, but when it comes to helping struggling readers, the sheer number of reading programs available to parents is actually a part of the problem.

Phonics programs and games, whole word reading methods, a traditional classroom, and tutor-based reading programs all presume that students have basic cognitive abilities already in place to process sounds and associate them correctly with letters and concepts. I'll admit that any of these systems can produce some reading progress for students that possess these skills, but for those who do not, these choices become a trap. Parents spend thousands of dollars and put themselves and their children through years of frustration and failure trying one remedial reading program after another when in fact, these particular programs had no chance of significantly helping their child from the start. Here's why.

Easy, fluent reading is the by-product of strong cognitive skills such as auditory processing and memory skills, combined with a reading system that puts those strong skills to good use. A foundation of strong underlying skills is the most important component missing in most struggling readers. According to 130 studies by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and others, 88% of those students that struggle to read have significant weakness in auditory processing. Strengthening these skills is the key to transformation.

Providing effective solutions that correct the real cause of students' learning struggles is my life's passion and the mission of LearningRx. This edition of LearningRx Magazine is dedicated to helping you understand why your child struggles to read and what you can do about it today. I have challenged every director, every staff member, and every LearningRx trainer to commit themselves to do their part to end dyslexia in America in a single generation. I know this is an ambitious goal, but to succeed we simply have to multiply our effort to help one student after another gain the skills needed to read fluently and with ease. If we can help your child, please call us. Or, if you know of someone who struggles, bless them by sharing this information. We are eager to help him or her become a good reader for life.

Dr. Ken Gibson, Founder and President of LearningRx

In a 32-nation study of 15-year-olds' educational achievement, the gap between America's best readers and its worst is wider than in any other country.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Reading problems/dyslexia screenings and a complete cognitive skills test are essential first steps to getting a struggling reader on track. LearningRx Training Centers offer screenings and affordable testing packages to parents seeking to help their children. Please call your local LearningRx professional or visit www.learningrx.com for information you can use today.