Steps"Parents' Corner
 |
The University of Utah Reading Clinic (UURC) provides assessment and intervention for struggling readers at its Murray, Utah location.
Parents or legal guardians who are concerned about a child's reading ability may schedule an assessment appointment online at the button above. Please note that to qualify for an assessment, a student must have finished at least 3 months of Kindergarten.
Results are evaluated weekly and a written summary is emailed to parents. If intervention is recommended, the child's name is automatically placed on the UURC waiting list. Children on the waiting list are enrolled on a "first come, first served" basis and parents are notified when an enrollment opportunity for basic intervention is available.
Parents/guardians who wish to enroll their children in UURC intervention services must read and sign a contract that outlines requirements for tuition, attendance, and student behavior. Parents will be provided a copy of the contract for referral. Please note that your child's services are contingent upon continued compliance with contract requirements.
UURC basic intervention is effective with many struggling readers. UURC basic intervention is offered through several models that target the student's developmental reading level. UURC models are research-based and include: Early StepsSM, Next StepsSM, and Higher StepsSM. Basic intervention is offered during the regular school year and during the summer.
However, it is important to note that as many as 3 children in any classroom of 30 may have a specific reading disability that presents as dyslexia (Velluntino et al., 1996). Dyslexia ranges from mild to severe, and response to intervention ranges accordingly. The most effective way to determine if a child exhibits a moderate to severe dyslexic profile is to implement basic intervention and evaluate the child's response. When a child's response is insufficient (i.e., lack of progress over time), more intensive intervention is warranted.
The UURC offers intensive intervention for children with moderate to severe specific reading difficulties. Enrollment for intensive intervention is limited, requires additional assessment, and is provided on a "first come-first served" basis. If UURC staff determine that your child is a candidate for intensive intervention, you will be notified. If at any point, you believe that your child may have a moderate to severe reading disability, please speak with a UURC staff member.
Parents need to be aware that the amount of reading that happens (or doesn't happen) at home has an enormous impact on the amount and rate at which struggling readers improve.
Here's a link to a New York Times article, How to Get Your Mind to Read.
