What is Reading Therapy?
Reading therapy is structured, explicit instruction for students who struggle with reading, spelling, fluency, dyslexia, or written language. It is more targeted than general tutoring and more responsive than simply moving through another workbook.
Who Reading Therapy Helps
Reading therapy may help if your child:
- Guesses at words instead of decoding
- Memorizes words but forgets them later
- Struggles with spelling
- Reads slowly or inaccurately
- Avoids reading aloud
- Has dyslexia or suspected dyslexia
- Falls apart during reading or writing assignments
- Is bright but not progressing with standard curriculum
Reading Therapy vs. Tutoring
Reading Therapy
Reading therapy targets underlying literacy skills, such as:
- Phonological Awareness
- Decoding
- Spelling
- Syllable Patterns
- Morphology
- Fluency
- Comprehension
- Written Expression
General Tutoring
General tutoring often helps with:
- Homework
- Class Assignments
- Extra Practice
- Study Support
- Short-term Academic Help
What Sessions Look Like
Depending on the student’s program and needs, therapy may include:
- Review of previously taught skills
- Explicit instruction in a new concept
- Multisensory practice
- Reading controlled words, phrases, or passages
- Spelling and dictation
- Fluency practice
- Comprehension work
- Parent communication
Reading Therapy is NOT:
- Homework help
- Casual drop-in tutoring
- A quick fix
- More guessing strategies
- Unstructured reading practice
- A replacement for medical, psychological, or neuropsychological evaluation
Not sure whether your child needs reading therapy?
Start with a consultation or screening. MIRA can help you identify whether reading therapy, a literacy evaluation, or a different next step makes the most sense.
