Is Your Child Falling Behind in Reading? 5 Signs to Watch For Watching your child struggle with reading can be heartbreaking. You might notice them avoiding books altogether, guessing words based on the first letter, or getting frustrated during homework. It is a common challenge for early primary students (Years 1-3), but knowing when it is a normal phase versus a sign of a deeper foundational gap is crucial. Here are 5 key warning signs that your child may be falling behind in reading: Guessing Words Based on the First Letter If your child sees the word "house" and reads it as "horse," or reads "cat" as "car," they may be guessing instead of decoding. This suggests they haven't fully mastered phonics (the relationship between letters and sounds). Extreme Homework Avoidance When reading is hard, children will do anything to avoid it. If opening a book leads to crying, tantrums, or complaints of stomach aches, it is often a defense mechanism to hide their struggle. Trouble Remembering Sight Words Sight words (like the, where, what) cannot easily