Is your child struggling to read?

Between kindergarten and second grade, your child is developing the foundational skills that will shape their reading future. But sometimes, subtle signs can signal that they’re falling behind—and early intervention can make all the difference. If your child is struggling to read,

here are some signs to watch for:

🔹 Sound Awareness

• Difficulty recognizing rhyming words

• Trouble clapping out syllables or breaking words into parts

• Avoids word games or nursery rhymes

🔹 Letter & Sound Recognition

• Struggles to remember letter names or sounds

• Confuses similar-looking letters (b/d, p/q)

• Doesn’t connect sounds to letters when spelling or reading

🔹 Listening & Speaking

• Late to talk or hard to understand

• Trouble pronouncing longer words

• Difficulty following multi-step instructions

🔹 Memory & Sequencing

• Trouble remembering the alphabet or counting

• Difficulty retelling stories in order

• Forgets words just learned

🔹 Reading Behaviors

• Guesses at words instead of sounding them out

• Avoids reading aloud

• Reads slowly or with frustration

🔹 Writing & Spelling

• Reverses letters or writes them out of order

• Misspells simple words repeatedly

• Avoids writing tasks

If you’re noticing any of these signs, don’t wait. Early support can prevent long-term reading struggles.

VITAL-K Reading Coaching™  at The Academic Gym is a movement-based literacy system designed to help children build focus, fluency, and confidence through rhythmic spelling, athletic movement, and sound.