Ask the Reading Comprehension Expert Ricki Linksman
Question: My son’s state reading test scores are low. When I listen to him read he stumbles over many words. How can I find out what the problem is and what can I do to help him?
Linksman: There are four main areas that could be causing his problem. They are phonics, comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency.
A reading diagnosis needs to be made to determine:
- whether he can sound out or decode the words at the level at which the text is;
- whether he understands the vocabulary words at that level;
- whether he comprehends what he reads; or
- whether he can read fast enough to complete the test in the given time.
I suggest that you select a book at his grade level and listen to him read to you. If he is struggling with many words, then a more thorough reading diagnosis needs to be made to determine which of the above 4 reasons are causing the problem. Once that is determined, then he can get help in the appropriate area.
Ricki Linksman: Nationally Recognized Leader in Accelerated Learning and Reading Comprehension 
Ricki Linksman, the primary developer of this program, is the author of a dozen books on reading and accelerated learning and learning styles.
She is the director of National Reading Diagnostics Institute, and has been training teachers and parents in accelerated learning and reading instruction for more than 25 years.
Her advice-filled newsletter has become a “must read” among educators and parents across the country.
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