Skills needed in reading

Reading problems- my number one reason a child is referred to me. It's no wonder, Reading issues impact so many areas other than just reading, including all subject areas as well as self confidence. When a student is having difficulty reading, there is not ever a broad reason as to why. Reading is a skill that requires several abilities working together to master. I'm compiling a list of the various skills and abilities that are needed in order for a person to read well. If a person has difficulties in one of these areas it can significantly impact the way he or she reads. There are programs designed to strengthen each of these areas. Finding out the source of the reading problem can make all the difference. A person may eventually have to compensate from a stronger ability.

Here are some of the skills and abilities required for one to read. Each of these abilities can be broken down into even more specific aspects.

• Visual processing. A person must be able to correctly perceive what is seen in order to read. A person who has difficulty remembering symbols or order of symbols may struggle with remembering site words. A person who has difficulty with spatial relations might also have difficulty viewing letters or words in the correct order.

• Auditory processing. A person must be able to correctly interpret auditory information in order to learn basic reading skills.

• Phonological processing. A person will need to have good processing of sounds and be able to interpret what letters make each sound.

• Fluency. A person will need to be able to quickly process the written information in order to derive meaning. When a student is a slow reader, it is often difficult to remember words from the beginning of a sentence. This often effects comprehension.

• Working memory. A person needs to be able to remember what has already been read, even while reading new words. A person has to be able to remember the previous paragraph, even while moving on to the next paragraph.

• Comprehension. Even a person who can decode words easily, must be able to make meaning of those words. Comprehension requires strong reasoning skills.