Preschool Years
Age: 3-5
In the preschool years, many children begin developing an awareness of sounds in language and the concept of print. Typical readers at this age often:
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Enjoy playing with sounds and rhymes
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Recognize some letters, especially those in their name
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Begin to understand that printed words carry meaning
Children at risk for dyslexia, on the other hand, may:
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Struggle to learn common nursery rhymes
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Not recognize rhyming patterns
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Have trouble remembering letter names
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Continue to use “baby talk” well past toddlerhood
These early difficulties can point to challenges with phonological awareness—an early warning sign of reading difficulties
Kindergarten to 1st Grade
Age: 5-7
As children move into kindergarten and first grade, they typically learn how letters map to sounds and begin to read simple words. Most readers at this stage:
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Understand letter-sound relationships
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Can decode regular one-syllable words like cat, map, or pan
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Begin to comprehend what they read
Children at risk for dyslexia may show a different pattern. They might:
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Not connect letters with sounds
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Make reading mistakes that don’t match the letters on the page
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Struggle to break words into sounds
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Avoid reading or express frustration
These challenges often suggest difficulties in phonics and decoding—core components of early reading.
2nd Grade and Beyond
Age: 7+
By second grade and up, most children begin to read more fluently and focus on understanding longer texts. Typically developing readers:
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Use letter-sound knowledge to read unfamiliar words
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Decode longer, multisyllabic words using word parts
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Read with enough fluency to focus on comprehension
Children at risk for dyslexia may:
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Continue to struggle with decoding
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Read slowly or guess at words
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Confuse similar-sounding words
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Avoid reading aloud
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Show persistent difficulties with spelling and handwriting
At this stage, reading difficulties become more pronounced and can affect a child’s confidence and academic performance if not addressed.
