The Reading Red Flags I Missed as a Teacher

Before I started this blog, I spent years teaching elementary school. I loved it. I still miss the smell of new crayons and the sound of kids sounding out words during silent reading.

But I have a confession. There were kids in my classroom who were struggling to read, and I did not see it for what it was.

I told myself they were shy, or distracted, or just young. Some of them probably had dyslexia. I wish I had known then what I know now.

So this post is for parents. Here are the reading red flags I missed, and the ones I would never ignore today.

Why So Many of Us Missed Them

I was not a careless teacher. Most of my colleagues were wonderful. We simply were not trained to spot the early signs of a reading disability.

The scale of the problem is bigger than most parents realize. In 2024, about 40 percent of fourth graders scored below the basic level in reading, according to the Nation’s Report Card. That is not a small group of kids falling behind. That is a huge share of every classroom.

Dyslexia is part of that picture. The International Dyslexia Association estimates that 15 to 20 percent of people show some symptoms of dyslexia. In a typical classroom, that could easily mean several children.

Many of those kids are bright, curious, and great at hiding their struggles. That is exactly what makes them easy to miss.

What Good Dyslexia Reading Programs Do Differently

Back when I taught, reading instruction often meant guessing. If a child got stuck on a word, we told them to look at the picture or think about what would make sense.

For a child with dyslexia, that advice does not help. They need to learn how sounds and letters actually connect, step by step.

That is what strong dyslexia reading programs focus on. Voyager Sopris Learning, for example, explains the structured literacy approach behind its programs, which teaches sounds, syllables, word parts, and sentence structure in a clear, systematic order. Nothing is left to chance or guesswork.

When I first read about this approach, I felt two things at once. Relief, because it made so much sense. And regret, because I could picture specific kids it would have helped.

The Red Flags I Would Catch Today

None of these signs means a child has dyslexia on its own. But if you notice several of them, it is worth paying attention. The team at Reading Rockets keeps a helpful list of common signs, and these were the ones I saw most often in my classroom.

Trouble With Rhyming

Little ones usually love silly rhymes. Some of my students could not hear that “cat” and “hat” sounded alike, no matter how many times we played the game. I thought they just were not interested. I was wrong.

Guessing Words From the First Letter

One sweet boy read “house” as “horse” and “went” as “want” every single time. He looked at the first letter and took his best guess. I praised him for trying instead of noticing the pattern.

Reading That Never Gets Smoother

Most kids get faster and more confident as the year goes on. A child with reading difficulties often stays slow and choppy, even with the same familiar books.

Spelling That Seems Random

Everyone misspells words when they are learning. But some students spelled the same word several different ways on one page. That is a sign they are not connecting sounds to letters.

Avoiding Reading at All Costs

Bathroom breaks during reading time. Sudden stomachaches. Losing the book, again. These kids were not lazy. They were protecting themselves from feeling embarrassed.

Total Exhaustion After Reading Time

I had a student who seemed fine all morning and then fell apart right after our reading block. Tears, short temper, head down on the desk. I blamed a late bedtime.

Looking back, she was worn out. When decoding every word takes huge effort, a short lesson can drain a child completely.

A Big Gap Between Talking and Reading

This one is the biggest red flag of all. A child who tells rich, detailed stories but cannot read simple sentences is showing you something important. Their thinking is strong. The reading is what is getting stuck.

When to Ask the School for an Evaluation

If your gut says something is off, trust it. You know your child better than anyone.

You do not have to wait for the school to bring it up. Under federal special education law, a parent can request an initial evaluation. Once you give consent, the school generally has 60 days to complete it, unless your state sets a different timeline.

Put your request in writing and keep a copy. Share specific examples of what you have noticed at home, like reading avoidance, spelling patterns, or frustration with homework.

And please do not let anyone tell you to just wait and see. Early help makes a real difference, and kids do not grow out of dyslexia.

What You Can Do at Home Tonight

While you wait for answers, there is plenty you can do to support your child:

• Read aloud together every day, even if your child is older
• Play rhyming and sound games in the car or at dinner
• Let your child listen to audiobooks to build vocabulary and love of stories
• Praise effort and progress, not just correct answers
• Keep reading time short, cozy, and pressure-free

Most of all, remind your child that reading being hard does not mean they are not smart. That message matters more than any worksheet.

A Note to My Former Students

If any of my old students are reading this as grown-ups, I want you to know something. You were never lazy, and you were never the problem.

I did not have the knowledge I needed back then. Today’s teachers and parents have far better tools, and that gives me so much hope.

So if you are a parent with a nagging worry, ask the question. Request the evaluation. Find a program that teaches reading the way your child’s brain needs to learn it. Your child deserves that chance, and so did mine.