DIY Steps by Helene Goldnadel to Measure Your Child's Reading Ability Follow these easy steps suggested by Helene Goldnadel a life coach to quickly and accurately measure your child's reading ability. It is better to catch a potential reading disorder while your child is still young, and it can be corrected, than to wait until it becomes an insurmountable obstacle to their success in life. Slow reading speed and low comprehension are both indicators that your child may have a reading disorder.
You will need: a short reading passage, a timer, and a calculator.
1) Choose a short reading passage (no more than a page or two) that is slightly above your child's age/grade level. For example, if your child is in 2nd grade, ask your child's school what books the 3rd grade is reading. You can then purchase one or borrow one from your local library or even find a sample online.
2) Ask your child to read the passage aloud. Make sure your child is comfortable and relaxed. Let them know that this is not a test but that you will be measuring how quickly they can read the passage. This will give you an idea of their reading abilities under slight pressure (which will simulate the school situation without unnecessarily complicating things).
3) Grab a stopwatch or use the clock on your wall or computer. Start the timer once they begin reading and stop the timer once they have read the pages you decided on beforehand.