The Struggling Reader (TSR) provides a specialized suite of parent-administered diagnostic tests designed to pinpoint exactly why a student is struggling. Developed by reading specialists, these assessment tools allow you to move beyond general letter grades and identify specific skill gaps from the comfort of your home. All testing materials are non-consumable and reusable, allowing you to monitor progress over time without purchasing new forms. The Five-Point Diagnostic Battery Our testing protocols focus on the five pillars of literacy to create a complete profile of a student's abilities: 1. Phonemic Awareness Assessment 2. Phonics & Decoding Diagnostic 3. Sight Word Automaticity Test 4. Fluency & Prosody Evaluation 5. Reading Comprehension Leveling Why Test at Home with TSR? Eliminate Guesswork: Stop wondering "what's wrong" and see exactly which skills are missing. Stress-Free Environment: Avoid the "test anxiety" often found in clinical or school settings. Actionable Data: Each test results in a clear profile that tells you exactly which activities to use next to bridge the gap.

Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear, manipulate, and reproduce the individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken language. Research indicates this is the single most powerful predictor of future reading success. Unlike the alphabet, this skill focuses purely on sound—such as identifying the first, middle, or last sounds in a word like "cat". At-Home Testing: Our user-friendly tool evaluates 21 of the most critical skills a child should master by the end of second grade. Multi-Sensory Activities: We provide ten activities per skill, ranging from individual tasks to group games (like board games) that can be easily adapted for a single student.

Phonics involves mastering the relationship between letters and sounds, including complex elements like digraphs, diphthongs, and silent letters. Instead of a vague "low" score, our system identifies the specific weak points in a child’s decoding strategy. At-Home Testing: Using a series of real and nonsense words along with a clear scoring guide, parents can precisely track the types of errors a student is making. Multi-Sensory Activities: Each skill is supported by ten varied activities—five for individuals and five for groups—ensuring the learning process remains engaging and effective.

Sight words are high-frequency words that readers must recognize instantly without "sounding them out". This is vital for efficiency; the 25 most common words alone make up approximately one-third of all printed material. At-Home Testing: Our assessment evaluates a child's mastery of the 300 most frequently occurring words in print. The Impact: Instant recognition prevents the constant pauses that disrupt a reader's flow and exhaust their mental energy.

True fluency is a combination of speed, accuracy, and prosody. Prosody refers to the use of appropriate tone, inflection, and emphasis, which serves as a bridge to deep comprehension. At-Home Testing: Our materials include a thorough explanation of how to measure reading rate and accuracy, alongside tools to evaluate the "life" and expression in a child’s reading. Mastery: When a reader uses proper vocal quality, they demonstrate a genuine understanding of the text's meaning.

Reading comprehension is the ability to process text, understand its meaning, and integrate it with what the reader already knows. While often hindered by poor decoding, some students can "word call" (read fluently) but fail to retain any information. True comprehension requires active engagement with the text. At-Home Testing: Our assessment allows you to move beyond guesswork. It establishes three critical levels for your reader: Independent Level: Material your child can read and understand with ease. Instructional Level: The "sweet spot" where learning happens—challenging enough to grow, but not so hard they give up. Frustration Level: The threshold you must identify to avoid burnout and negative associations with reading. Mastery Through Strategy: Understanding isn't just a byproduct of reading; it is a skill that can be taught. Our activities move beyond simple "Q&A" to teach students how to visualize, summarize, and predict. The TSR Activities: We provide multi-sensory strategies designed to bridge the gap between "sounding out words" and "understanding stories." These activities are non-consumable and designed by specialists to be used repeatedly as your child progresses through different reading levels.