Why “Knowing the Letters” Isn’t Always Enough
Many parents are surprised when a child who knows their letters still struggles to read or spell. While letter knowledge is important, reading requires much more than recognizing symbols on a page. Students must be able to connect speech sounds to letters and spelling patterns, hold those connections in memory, and use them flexibly when encountering new words.
When these underlying language skills are weak, reading can feel effortful and inconsistent—even with plenty of practice. Supporting literacy effectively means looking beyond letters alone and strengthening the sound–symbol and language systems that make reading and spelling work.
Why Reading Feels Hard Even When a Child Is Smart
A common and frustrating experience for families is watching a bright, curious child struggle with reading. Difficulty with reading is not a reflection of intelligence, motivation, or effort. In many cases, it reflects how efficiently a child’s brain processes and organizes language for print.
Reading requires precise coordination between sounds, spelling patterns, and meaning. When any part of that system is inefficient, reading can be slow, inaccurate, or exhausting. With instruction that targets these underlying skills directly and systematically, students can build stronger, more reliable literacy skills over time.
What Structured Literacy Really Means
Structured literacy is often described as “explicit” and “systematic,” but at its heart, it’s about clarity. Instead of expecting students to guess patterns or pick them up incidentally, structured literacy shows students how written language works—step by step. This approach helps reading and spelling make sense, especially for students who have struggled with traditional methods.
Understanding Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a language-based learning difference that affects how efficiently a person learns to read, spell, and recognize written words. It is not related to intelligence, effort, or motivation, and it is not caused by vision problems. Many individuals with dyslexia are bright, thoughtful, and capable learners whose difficulty lies in how the brain processes spoken language in relation to print.
At its core, dyslexia involves difficulty connecting speech sounds to written symbols and using those connections automatically. This can make reading unfamiliar words slow or inaccurate and spelling especially challenging. Even when students understand what they are reading or can explain ideas verbally, decoding and spelling may remain effortful without targeted support.
What Parents May Notice
Parents often notice that a child with dyslexia:
- Has difficulty learning to read despite appropriate instruction
- Reads slowly or hesitantly, especially with unfamiliar words
- Struggles with spelling, even after repeated practice
- Avoids reading or becomes fatigued when reading for extended periods
- May understand stories well when read aloud but has trouble reading independently
Importantly, speech is typically clear, and difficulties may not be obvious in conversation. This can make dyslexia harder to recognize early on.
How Dyslexia Differs from Speech Sound Disorders
Dyslexia is not a speech disorder. Many individuals with dyslexia produce speech sounds accurately and speak clearly. The challenge lies not in producing sounds, but in processing and mapping sounds to print. While dyslexia can co-occur with speech or language disorders, it is a distinct learning difference that requires a specific instructional approach.
Why Structured Literacy Is Important
Because dyslexia affects how sounds, spelling patterns, and meaning are connected, effective instruction must be explicit, systematic, and language-based. Structured literacy approaches teach:
- How sounds are organized in words
- How those sounds are represented in spelling patterns
- How word parts contribute to meaning
- How to apply this knowledge when reading and spelling unfamiliar words
This approach replaces guessing and memorization with understanding, helping reading and spelling make sense.
A Strength-Based Perspective
Dyslexia is a difference, not a deficit. With appropriate instruction, students with dyslexia can become capable, confident readers and writers. Understanding how dyslexia affects reading allows instruction to be targeted, supportive, and effective—building skills that last beyond individual lessons.
When Articulation Impacts Spelling
Parents are often told that articulation difficulties are “just speech” and separate from reading and spelling. In reality, speech sound production and literacy are closely connected. When a student has difficulty producing a sound accurately, it can also affect how clearly that sound is represented in their internal language system.
For some students, this shows up in spelling. A child who substitutes or distorts a sound in speech may spell words the way they say them, even when they understand the word’s meaning. These spelling errors are not carelessness—they reflect how the sound is stored and accessed.
Addressing articulation in a literacy-aligned way means helping students produce sounds accurately and strengthening their connection to letters and spelling patterns. When speech work is tied to meaningful words, reading, and writing, students are better able to develop clear speech alongside more accurate spelling.
Clear speech, strong spelling, and confident reading all rely on well-organized language systems working together.
Understanding Sound-Based Speech Disorders
Speech Sound Disorder (SSD)
Primary challenge: Producing specific speech sounds accurately
Nature of difficulty: Motor-based (how sounds are formed)
What parents may notice:
- Distorted or substituted sounds
- Errors that are inconsistent or persist over time
Literacy connection:
- Spelling may reflect how words are pronounced
- May need support connecting accurate sounds to letters
Instructional focus:
- Precise sound production
- Linking speech sounds to letters and spelling patterns
Phonological Processing Disorder
Primary challenge: Using sound patterns correctly
Nature of difficulty: Linguistic (how sounds function in the system)
What parents may notice:
- Patterned sound errors (e.g., dropping endings, simplifying clusters)
- Difficulty hearing or organizing sounds in words
- Speech that includes multiple sound errors, making it hard to pinpoint just one or two specific sounds
- Reduced speech clarity, especially in longer words or sentences
Literacy connection:
- Phonemic awareness is often affected
- Reading and spelling may be challenging
Instructional focus:
- Explicit phonological awareness instruction
- Sound contrasts and patterns
What about Childhood Apraxia of Speech
Childhood apraxia of speech is a motor planning disorder that affects a child’s ability to plan and sequence the movements needed for clear speech. Speech may be inconsistent, effortful, or difficult to understand, even when a child knows what they want to say. While apraxia is not a language-based disorder, difficulties with sound sequencing and consistency can affect phonological awareness, spelling, and early reading development.
Effective support prioritizes targeted motor speech intervention while also attending to related literacy needs as appropriate, particularly for school-age students. For students with childhood apraxia of speech, motor speech planning and literacy skills are often addressed concurrently, with each receiving focused instruction. While these areas are closely connected, they are not always targeted within the same activity or sessions, allowing instruction to remain clear and effective.
Why Reading With Your Child Matters
Reading with your child supports far more than enjoyment of books. Shared reading builds vocabulary, strengthens understanding of sentence structure, and helps children make sense of how language works in connected text. These language skills directly support reading comprehension, written expression, and academic learning over time.
Reading together also provides a low-pressure way for children to engage with ideas, stories, and information, even when independent reading feels challenging. For struggling readers, listening to fluent reading allows them to access meaning without the added burden of decoding every word, reinforcing the idea that reading is about understanding—not just accuracy.
How to Read With Your Child to Support Literacy
Reading with your child doesn’t need to feel like a lesson. The goal is to support language, comprehension, and confidence while keeping reading meaningful and enjoyable.
A few simple strategies make a difference:
- Talk about the book, not just the words. Ask questions, make predictions, and discuss ideas.
- Pause to explain new vocabulary or clarify confusing sentences.
- Model fluent reading, especially for longer or more complex texts.
- Encourage participation, whether that’s reading a page, reading dialogue, or summarizing what happened.
For older or struggling readers, it’s okay—and often helpful—to alternate reading aloud, reread favorite passages, or listen to audiobooks together. What matters most is engagement with language and meaning. These shared experiences strengthen comprehension skills and help children see reading as purposeful and accessible.
SOUND Skills for Speech, Language, and literacy 