Virtually every course the adolescent takes requires reading—not only English, history, and other “wordy” subjects but also science and math. Adolescents who read poorly are at a serious disad­vantage in every subject.

Most schools assume that children will have mastered basic reading skills by the end of fourth grade. Specific instruction in reading usually stops at that point, and teachers no longer rou­tinely monitor the child’s reading skills. They may not realize that the adolescent’s problem is not being able to read the math prob­lem or comprehend the history text. His poor performance may be attributed to lack of motivation or to a short attention span rather than to reading difficulties. (Here we say his deliberately; reading problems are more common in boys than girls.)

Some of the signs that a young adolescent has a reading prob­lem are that he or she

- Doesn’t read spontaneously, for pleasure or for information.

- Claims he “can’t find” anything to read.

- Gets upset when she is assigned reading for homework and reads at a painfully slow pace.

- Has trouble with ordinary, everyday reading (reading signs, following the instructions on a package, using a recipe, and the like).

- When reading aloud, frequently hesitates, mispronounces words, skips words, reads them out of order, or says the wrong words (saw for luas, bone for done, man for men, and the like).

There are three common causes of reading problems in the post-elementary school years.

1. The child has an organic problem that makes it difficult for him to perceive and decode words, or a vision or hearing problem that has interfered with learning. Such problems are nearly always diagnosed in elementary school, but if you have any doubts, check with your own or the school physician.

2. The child had difficulty learning to read, did not receive the extra help he needed, or was poorly instructed, and has developed an aversive or hostile attitude toward reading as a result.

3. The child is perfectly able to read but chooses not to.

Related posts:

1. Adolescent Psychological Problems – Danger Signs

2. Teen and Popularity – Rejection

3. The Basics of Children Reading

4. The Basics of How to Parent Your Boys: Read and Learn Together

5. Teenagers and Social Life – Leisure Time

6. Differential Diagnosis of Learning Disorders

7. How to Read to Your Toddlers

8. Getting Professional Help for Your Teen’s Drug Problems

9. Parenting Teens – The Intellectual Growth Spurt

10. What Parents Should Ask about Your Child’s Academic Placement