Sit down with your child and ask him or her to read a book with you. Take turns reading various parts of the book.
Listen for areas in which your child has a problem, and then help him or her to sort out the word. Ask what it is about the word that is causing problems.
Pay attention to the way in which your child reads. Some reading disabilities are caused by an inability to understand the way letters work together to form words, while others occur due to an inability to assign meaning to those words. Listening to your child read and speaking with him about reading can help you get an idea as to which of the problems he is experiencing.
Look for any issues that stand out with your child's reading abilities. If he is having trouble reading material that is below his current grade level or is struggling with schoolwork, it could be time to speak with a professional.