Reading

Family Supports for Reading

Parents play a critical role in supporting a child’s reading development. This guide includes a set of supports designed to help families understand what to expect in their child’s reading development, resources to support reading at home, and supports if a child is struggling.

What should strong reading instruction look like at school?

Strong classroom reading lessons are essential and should be based on research and best practices. What should good reading instruction look like? The Virginia Literacy Act (VLA) is a law passed in 2022 that went into effect this school year ( 2024-25). The purpose of the VLA is to help our students become better readers early in their education (Grades K-3) and support older students as they continue to grow (Grades 4-8). This resource was developed to help families learn more about what a child’s daily lessons should look like in English and Spanish.

How can I know if my child’s reading is developing the way it should?

This Reading Rockets guide helps parents understand how important early grades reading skills build upon each other. Children learn to recognize letters and letter sounds, match spoken words to written words, sound out unknown words, and begin to read easily.  Children should also be given the opportunity to listen to strong reading either in person or through audiobooks.

As children start to become strong readers, the focus shifts from “reading words” to understanding what they are reading. Children in Grade 3 through Grade 5 build knowledge from what they are reading, and parents can help by asking children about what they are reading and have discussions about what they are learning from their book.

By the time children reach secondary school (Grade 6-12), the focus moves to reading entire books, studying documents, and comparing different sets of information from multiple books. Children should not only spend time reading, but they should also engage in writing about what they are learning and communicating their understanding in discussions and writing.

What are ideas for parents to support reading at home?

This article provides great ways a parent can raise a strong reader.  Additionally, several grade level resources are provided below.

What support is available if my child is struggling to read?

 There are several strong supports and resources to help families.

1. Talk with your child’s teacher. All schools in Virginia are required to screen students on their literacy growth in Grades K-2. To learn more about reading screening, see this brochure. Parents should always consider discussing this information with a child’s teacher. VDOE is partnering with both Ignite Reading and Lexia to ensure that all students across the Commonwealth have access to differentiated tutoring options to help close reading skills gaps as a result of pandemic learning loss. Teachers are the best resource to find out if a child is struggling with reading and provide available supports. A parent should schedule time to talk with a teacher if he or she is worried about how a child is learning to read.
   
   This webpage provides information about resources for parents to support their children with literacy development. For parents of children who have dyslexia and are struggling with learning to read, The Website for The National Center on Improving Literacy provides parents with information to support their child.
   
   
2. Ask about specific challenges. Dyslexia is a learning disorder when students have difficulty reading due to problems identifying speech sounds and learning how they relate to letters and words (decoding). Also called a reading disability, dyslexia is a result of individual differences in areas of the brain that process language (MayoClinic). This website provides information that can help families find support if they have a child with dyslexia who struggles with reading.
   
   
3. Ask for language supports. Parents of multilingual learners will find useful information and activities that promote family engagement at home by highlighting various important ways families support children’s language development.
   • Learning Language Every Day: Activities for Families (packet in several languages)
   • Family Connections Through Home Languages (flyer in several languages)
   • Introducing World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) (video)
   • Additionally, The Virginia Family’s Guide to Special Education and the VDOE Special Education for Families page contains information about resources related to assessment, diplomas, and critical decision points for parents to support their children who have disabilities.
     
     
4. Learn about additional challenges. The Virginia Family’s Guide to Special Education can help parents understand the special education process, services, and support for children with disabilities in public schools. Parents can also find helpful tools related to student testing, diplomas, and other important decision points for children with disabilities. (Spanish, Vietnamese, Urdu, Arabic, and Amharic versions also are available).

This center features free and on-demand training for parents centered around special education with a focus on Individualized Education Programs (IEP) and special education supports. Supports for families in communicating and working with their school are also included.

What resources are available to support my child who is excelling in reading?

Resources for gifted learners and their families can also be found through the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) and the Virginia Association for the Gifted.  Detailed resources for families with English Language Learners or students with disabilities can be found in the table below.

What if my child is disengaged or bored at school?

Various learning pathways are available to children in Virginia’s schools based on their personal and future career interests.

Each child is required to complete an academic and career plan aligned to the 3E Readiness Framework (enlistment, employment, enrollment) that is signed by the parent and outlines the courses and experiences that will connect personal and career interests to 3E experiences in high school toward sustainable career pathways post-graduation. Families are encouraged to build communication skills with children outside of school by taking them to a museum, a robotics competition, a racetrack, or other community events to show them that science extends to many different careers.

Schools are responsible for engaging students so that they are ready for college or career after high school graduation. This includes preparing high school students according to the 3E Readiness Framework for employment, enlistment, and enrollment upon graduation with engaging, rigorous experiences both inside the classroom and in collaboration with employers and postsecondary education partners outside of the classroom. This can include hands-on career exploration activities, clinical or apprenticeship experience toward high-wage, high-demand industry credentials, or college-ready dual enrollment courses taken at the high school or at the local community college to earn transferable college credits in a wide variety of science-related fields. The 3E Readiness Framework resource can provide parents with resources to discuss your concerns about student engagement with your child’s teacher or principal.

Reading Resources for Grades K-2

Reading Resources for Grades 3-5

 Reading Resources for Grades 6-12