Reading Readiness & Delays in Reading/Writing

As we move with greater and greater speed into a world where young children are asked to sit for longer and longer periods of time, we often forget that we are physical beings with a great need to move.  Our bodies are at their best when we participate in a wide variety of movements.  At the beginning of brain development, both in-utero and as infants, we move in reflexive patterns in order to build our sensory systems for the development of vision, proprioception, balance, and cognition.  If allowed to move freely, we participate in these reflexive movements naturally in order to organize our brains and bodies.  These movements set the stage for continued brain-body development and without them, we may be like a pyramid without a base, teetering on our cognitive ability without any physical body to support us.

True reading readiness, as opposed to a “forced” reading readiness present in many kindergartens and preschools, is a biological phenomenon.  When a child is ready to read, the “base” of their pyramid, which is their sensory system, will allow them to easily do certain tasks.  According to Dr. Susan Johnson, a child whose sensory-motor system is integrated and who is ready to read will be able to do the following:

• To pay attention and sit still in a chair for at least 20 minutes, without needing to wiggle or sit on their feet or wrap their feet around the legs of the chair as a way to locate their bodies in space by muscle movement or activation of pressure receptors. 
  

• To balance on one foot, without their knees touching, and in stillness, with both arms extended out to their sides while they count backward without losing their balance. 
  

• To stand on one foot, with arms stretched out in front of them, palms facing up, with both eyes closed for 10 seconds without falling. 
  

• To reproduce patterns of abstract lines and curves (e.g., various geometric shapes, numbers, or letters) on a piece of paper with a pencil when someone else draws these shapes, numbers or letters on their backs. 
  

• To walk slowly on a balance beam, skip, and jump rope. 
  

Dr. Johnson explains that if children can’t do these tasks easily, then they haven’t integrated their vestibular and proprioceptive (sensory-motor) systems, and they will have difficulty sitting still, listening, focusing their eyes, focusing their attention, and remembering numbers and letters in the classroom. According to Dr. Johnson, some of the signs that your child may not yet be ready to learn to read and write are:

• Mouth/tongue movements while writing.
  

• Difficulties sitting still, focusing, listening, and having a strong need to move.
  

• Cannot skip with their feet or if they skip, their skip is homo-lateral (swinging same arm as leg) rather than cross-lateral (swinging opposite arm to leg)
  

• Difficulties balancing, in stillness, on each foot, for 8 to 10 seconds, while counting or spelling their name out-loud, with eyes open and then eyes closed.
  

• Drawings of a person are like that of a much younger child (scribbles or stick-like without details).
  

• Difficulties copying a triangle, rectangles, diamond, and crisscrossing lines.
  

• Tense or fisted pencil grip.
  

• Difficulties tracking and converging with their eyes so their eyes water and fatigue easily.
  

• Hard time catching a ball or bean bag (may even show a retained Moro or startle reflex).
  

What can we do to help our children form the neurologic “base” of their pyramids?  We can give them opportunities for a variety of movements and make sure they spend time outside.  Outside time has movement built-in as children climb, push, pull, grab, run, look up close and far away, and explore.  It’s never too late to incorporate these movements into our lives and build, or re-build a strong “base” for our neurologic pyramids.

If your chid is having difficulty learning to read or if their reading skills are behind those of their classmates, please contact me to schedule a sensory systems evaluation.  I will design a movement program that specifically targets your child’s challenges and help you get on the path to supporting their brain-body connection!

Please note: This post is meant for informational purposes and is not meant to take the place of medical advice from a physician or other medical practitioner.

Johnson, Susan, "Does Our Educational System Contribute to Attentional and Learning Difficulties in Our Children?” The Online Waldorf Library Journals, Vol. 15, No. 1, Spring 2010, https://www.waldorflibrary.org/journals/22-research-bulletin/902-spring-2010-vol15-1-does-our-educational-system-contribute-to-attentional-and-learning-difficulties-in-our-children [Accessed May 18, 2024]

Johnson, Susan, “How Our Educational System is Contributing to Attentional and Learning Challenges in our Children”, Oct. 4, 2017, http://www.youandyourchildshealth.org/articles/our-educational-system-2.html [Accessed May 18, 2024]

Story, Sonia, "Preteen's Self-confidence is Boosted, As Well As Her Reading Level”, 2010-2022, Case Study, https://moveplaythrive.com/case-studies/item/preteen-s-self-confidence-is-boosted-as-well-as-her-reading-level [Accessed May 18, 2024]