What Does Speech Development Have to Do With Reading?
Did you know that speech sound difficulties and reading challenges can sometimes go hand in hand? As children learn to say different sounds, recognize those sounds in words, and connect them to letters, they’re building important skills for learning to read and spell.
October is Dyslexia Awareness Month, making it a great time to talk about the connection between speech, language, and reading. As speech-language pathologists (SLPs), we work with children on many of the skills that support reading and spelling.
So, what does speech development have to do with learning to read? And what should parents know about dyslexia? Let’s take a closer look!
What Is Dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a learning disability that primarily affects reading and spelling. Children with dyslexia may have difficulty sounding out unfamiliar words, reading smoothly, spelling, or connecting letters with their sounds.
Dyslexia isn't about intelligence, motivation, or how hard a child tries. A child can be bright, curious, and eager to learn while still finding reading challenging. Dyslexia also doesn't mean a child reads words backward, and there isn't a one-size-fits-all approach to support.
Want to learn more about dyslexia? Check out some of our other blog posts on this topic:
How Are Speech and Reading Connected?
You might be wondering what difficulty saying certain sounds has to do with learning to read. While speaking and reading may seem like separate skills, they share some important building blocks.
As children learn to talk, they practice using sounds to make words. Some children have trouble saying certain sounds, such as saying “tat” instead of “cat” or having difficulty with the “r” sound. Sometimes, these difficulties can also be connected to how children recognize and work with sounds in words.
Learning to read involves more than recognizing letters. Children also need to understand how sounds and letters work together. These skills help them sound out words, read, and spell.
What Does Speech Sound Development Have to Do With It?
There are two important skills to understand:
Speech sound development is how children learn to say sounds clearly when they talk. For example, a child might say “wed” instead of “red” or have difficulty saying sounds like “s” or “r.”
Phonological awareness is the ability to recognize and work with the sounds in spoken words. Children use these skills when they recognize rhyming words like cat and hat, identify the first sound in sun, or put individual sounds together to make map.
These skills are connected, but they're not the same! A child might have trouble saying a sound but still recognize it in words. Another child might speak clearly but have difficulty recognizing rhymes or putting sounds together.
That's why it's helpful to look beyond how clearly a child speaks. Understanding how they produce sounds and how they recognize sounds in words can give us a better picture of their individual strengths and needs.
How Does This Relate to Dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a learning disability that primarily affects reading and spelling. Children with dyslexia may have difficulty sounding out unfamiliar words, reading accurately, or spelling words.
Some children who have difficulty with speech sounds may also struggle with the sound awareness skills that support reading. For example, they might have difficulty breaking map into its individual sounds or putting those sounds together to make a word. These skills are important when children begin sounding out written words.
However, having trouble saying certain sounds doesn't automatically mean a child will struggle with reading or have dyslexia. Many children with speech sound difficulties learn to read without significant difficulty.
If your child has difficulty saying certain sounds and is also struggling with rhyming, recognizing sounds in words, learning letter sounds, or developing early reading skills, it may be helpful to explore these areas further.
How Can a Speech-Language Pathologist Help?
SLPs can help identify a child's strengths and areas of difficulty in speech, language, and sound awareness.
If you have concerns about your child's speech or reading development, an SLP can look at the skills your child is using and identify areas where they may need extra support.
Depending on your child's needs, an evaluation may look at:
Speech sound development: How your child says sounds in words and whether their speech sounds are developing as expected for their age.
Sound awareness: How your child recognizes and works with sounds in words, such as rhyming, blending sounds together, or breaking words apart.
Language development: How your child understands language, follows directions, learns new words, and expresses their thoughts.
Early literacy skills: Skills that help prepare children for reading and spelling, including recognizing sounds in words and connecting sounds to letters.
SLPs can help children strengthen these skills and work with families, teachers, and reading specialists when additional support is needed.
When Should Parents Seek Support?
You don't have to wait until your child starts struggling with reading to ask questions! If something about your child's speech, language, or early reading development concerns you, it's worth looking into.
Here are a few signs that extra support may be helpful:
Your child continues to have difficulty saying certain sounds or is hard to understand.
Your child struggles with rhyming or recognizing the sounds in words.
Your child has difficulty learning the sounds that go with letters.
Your child struggles to sound out words, learn to read, or spell.
You notice ongoing speech or language difficulties that concern you.
These signs don't automatically mean your child has dyslexia or will have difficulty learning to read. Every child develops differently, but recognizing areas of difficulty early can help you understand what support may be helpful.
You also don't need to wait for a dyslexia diagnosis to seek help. Speech therapy can support speech and language development and an SLP can help determine whether your child may benefit from additional support with the skills that contribute to reading and spelling.
How We Can Help!
At OWLS Therapy, our Lindamood-Bell-trained speech-language pathologists help children develop the speech, language, and literacy-related skills they need to communicate and learn with confidence.
We take the time to understand each child's individual strengths and challenges and work with families to determine the best next steps. Whether you're concerned about your child's speech sound development, language skills, or early reading abilities, we're here to help you navigate your options.
Have questions about your child's speech, language, or reading development? Reach out for a free phone consultation to learn more about our services and how we can support your child!