Free reading screener

Free dyslexia and reading screener for parents

A quick checklist of the signs to look for at home, by grade. It takes five minutes and helps you decide whether a closer look is worth it.

Book a free discovery call

About the diagnostic

This is a screener, not a diagnosis. It cannot tell you whether your child has dyslexia. It can tell you whether a full reading assessment is a good next step.

The checklist

Check the signs you notice often

Find your child’s grade band and count how many of these you see regularly, not just on a bad day.

Kindergarten to Grade 1

Struggles to hear rhymes or clap syllables
Has trouble learning letter sounds
Cannot blend sounds into a word, like c-a-t to cat
Mixes up the order of sounds in words
Avoids books or looking at print
A parent or sibling had trouble learning to read

Grades 2 to 3

Reads slowly, sounding out even familiar words
Guesses words from the first letter or pictures
Spells the same word different ways
Skips or adds small words when reading aloud
Understands stories read aloud much better than ones they read
Tired or upset after reading

Grades 4 to 6

Reading is accurate but very slow
Avoids reading aloud in class
Spelling is far below their speaking vocabulary
Written work is much weaker than their spoken ideas
Takes much longer than classmates on homework
Says they are “not a reader” or “bad at reading”

Grades 7 to 12 and adults

Rereads text several times to understand it
Avoids reading for pleasure
Relies on spell check for common words
Struggles to take notes or write under time pressure
Reads well enough to get by, but it is exhausting
Has a history of reading support that never quite worked

What it means

What to do with your checks

0 to 1 checks

Probably no cause for concern. Keep reading together and check again if things change.

2 to 3 checks

Worth a conversation. Book a free discovery call and we can talk it through.

4 or more checks

A full reading diagnostic will show exactly which skills need support. It is $299 CAD with a written report.

FAQ

Questions families ask

No. It is a screener. Only a qualified professional can diagnose dyslexia. Our reading diagnostic is an educational assessment, not a medical or psychoeducational diagnosis, but it shows exactly what to teach.

School screeners and this checklist both flag risk. Neither explains why. Read our guide to school screening results for next steps.

Yes. Use the Grades 7 to 12 and adults band.

Want a second opinion?

Book a free discovery call and tell us what you noticed.