Free Reading Screenings
The Southport CoLAB Community Reading Screening Program
Does your preschooler know their ABCs? Is their speech delayed compared to their peers? Is there a family history of learning differences or ADHD? These early indicators that a child may have challenges reading can be observed in preschool and kindergarten-aged children, and parents are often the first to spot them.
“The ability to read is one of the most important predictors of academic success. We must identify and support children at risk of dyslexia and other reading struggles early on when intervention is most effective.”
Dr. Benjamin N. Powers
Executive Director, The Southport School
Founder & Executive Director, The Southport CoLAB
Signs your child may be at risk
As educators and learning professionals, we understand the challenges families face when a child struggles with reading. Language-based learning differences can make reading more difficult, but up to 92% of at-risk children can achieve grade-level reading with proper instruction.
Recognizing these signs of a reading disorder early can significantly impact a child's learning journey.
- Mispronouncing words
- Difficulty rhyming and spelling
- Challenges in identifying everyday objects
- Trouble following multistep directions
- Confusing the order of letters or sounds in words
- Trouble sounding out words
- Reads and writes more slowly than peers
- Family history
For additional information, please read Understanding Dyslexia: Causes, Signs & Support with Dr. Benjamin N. Powers.
Early detection transforms lives
Early reading screenings provide insight into a child’s reading development and empower families to intervene early, preventing long-term reading issues. Screenings before second grade offer the best chance for academic and emotional success. Without intervention, struggling readers in first grade are unlikely to catch up by the end of elementary school.
Free reading screenings
The Southport CoLAB offers free reading screenings to children in pre-kindergarten to second grade using the science and evidence based EarlyBird Assessment. Developed and tested by leading experts at Harvard-affiliated Boston Children’s Hospital and the Florida Center for Reading, EarlyBird assesses critical skills predictive of later reading success:
- Naming speed
- Sound/symbol correspondence
- Phonemic and phonological awareness
- Oral language comprehension
- Word reading
The EarlyBird program is backed by validation studies in schools across diverse student populations. It’s a child-friendly, game-based assessment that identifies potential reading challenges and provides data that can be used to advocate for their children effectively. Assessment results are analyzed by experts in the field who follow up within a week with individualized recommendations.
Scheduling a screening
While individuals with reading disorders read at levels lower than expected, evidence suggests their cerebrodiversity can be an asset to learning and life success! Call or submit this reading screening request form to learn more or schedule a screening.