Understanding why struggling readers forget words—and what parents can do to help.
“Wait a minute. You knew that word yesterday!”
Have you ever found yourself saying this to your child during reading practice?
Maybe your child sounded out the word ship perfectly yesterday. You practiced it several times, and by the end of the lesson, they could read it without any help.
You were excited. Finally, some progress!
Then the next day, that same word shows up in a book, and your child looks at it as though they've never seen it before.
You give them a little time. You encourage them to sound it out. But they hesitate, guess a completely different word, or look at you for help.
And you're left wondering: how can they know something one day and completely forget it the next?
If this sounds familiar, you're certainly not alone. I've seen it many times throughout my 31 years of teaching, especially with children who struggle with reading.
The good news is that this happens for reasons, and understanding them can help you better support your child.
Reading a Word Once Isn't the Same as Knowing It Automatically
One thing I often explain to parents is that there's a difference between being able to read a word with help and being able to recognize that word automatically.
Think about when your child first learns to ride a bike.
At first, they have to concentrate on everything. They're thinking about pedaling, steering, and keeping their balance. Even if they manage to ride successfully one afternoon, that doesn't mean they'll be able to hop on their bike the next morning and ride perfectly.
Reading works in a similar way.
When children are first learning to read, they have to think carefully about the sounds that letters make and how those sounds blend together to form words.
With appropriate instruction and practice, those connections become stronger. Eventually, children begin recognizing familiar words quickly and accurately without having to sound out every single one.
But for some children, especially those with dyslexia, building those connections takes more time and carefully structured practice.
Why Does My Child Keep Forgetting Words?
Several reasons might explain why a child reads a word correctly one day and struggles with it the next.
1. They May Be Remembering the Word Instead of Reading It
Some children become very good at memorizing how words look.
For example, if your child sees the word stop several times during a lesson, they may remember its overall appearance.
But when that same word appears in a different book, on a different page, or in a different font, they may not recognize it.
That's because they haven't necessarily developed a strong connection between the letters in the word and the sounds those letters represent.
What helps?
Instead of asking your child to memorize the word as a picture, help them look carefully at the letters and connect each spelling to its sound.
For a word like ship, you might say:
“Let's look at the sounds in this word. We have /sh/, /ĭ/, /p/. Now let's blend those sounds together. Ship!”
This helps children learn how the word works rather than simply trying to remember what it looks like.
2. Their Brain Is Still Building the Connections Needed for Reading
When we read, our brains connect the sounds in spoken words with the letters and letter patterns we see in print.
This process is called orthographic mapping.
I know that sounds like a complicated term, but the idea is actually pretty simple.
It's how our brains store written words so we can recognize them quickly and accurately when we see them again.
For children who are learning to read, these connections are still developing.
For children with dyslexia, developing accurate and automatic word recognition can be especially challenging.
They may need more explicit instruction, more practice opportunities, and more time before words become familiar.
What helps?
Practice words using spelling patterns your child has already been taught. Have them say the sounds, read the word, spell it, and then read it again.
The goal isn't simply to get the word right once. It's to help your child build the connections needed to recognize it more easily later.
3. They May Not Have Mastered the Phonics Skill Yet
Sometimes a child can read a word correctly during a lesson because they've just practiced the skill.
For example, imagine your child is learning the sh sound.
During the lesson, they practice reading ship, shop, and shut. They do a great job!
But the next day, when they see ship in a story, they struggle.
This may mean they understand the skill when it's fresh in their mind but haven't practiced it enough to use it independently.
What helps?
Go back and review the skill in short, manageable practice sessions.
Rather than practicing one word over and over, give your child opportunities to read several words with the same spelling pattern.
Then have them practice those words in sentences and decodable stories.
This helps them apply what they've learned in different situations.
4. Reading May Be Taking So Much Effort That They Become Overwhelmed
Have you ever noticed that your child seems to read better at the beginning of a lesson than at the end?
Reading can be exhausting for children who struggle.
While some children can read familiar words almost effortlessly, a struggling reader may have to concentrate on every letter and every sound.
After a while, they may become tired, frustrated, or less accurate.
You might notice more guessing, longer pauses, or even tears.
I've worked with children who can do something successfully during a short lesson but struggle when they're expected to keep reading for a longer period of time.
That doesn't necessarily mean they've forgotten everything they learned.
Sometimes the task has simply become too demanding.
What helps?
Keep reading practice short and positive.
For some children, 10 minutes of focused practice is much more productive than 30 minutes of frustration.
Take breaks when needed, and try to finish on a positive note.
What About Children With Dyslexia?
One thing I want parents to understand is that dyslexia isn't about intelligence or effort.
I've worked with many bright, creative, hardworking children who have tremendous difficulty learning to read.
They may understand a story perfectly when someone reads it aloud but struggle to read even a short paragraph independently.
They may know the sounds letters make but struggle to recall them quickly or blend them into words.
And yes, they may read a word correctly one day and struggle with that same word the next.
Children with dyslexia often need explicit, systematic reading instruction with plenty of opportunities for review and practice.
This is why I use the Orton-Gillingham approach in my tutoring.
Rather than expecting children to figure out reading patterns on their own, I teach skills directly, build on what they've already learned, and provide structured practice to help those skills become more automatic.
Of course, forgetting words doesn't automatically mean a child has dyslexia. Several reasons can cause a child to struggle with reading.
But if these difficulties happen frequently, it's worth looking more closely at what's going on.
Five Things You Can Do at Home to Help
If your child is struggling to remember words they've already practiced, here are a few things I recommend.
1. Practice a little bit every day.
Short, consistent practice is usually more helpful than one long session each week. Even 5–10 minutes of focused practice can make a difference.
2. Encourage sounding out instead of guessing.
When your child comes to an unfamiliar word, encourage them to look carefully at the letters and use the sound-spelling patterns they've learned.
3. Review previously learned skills.
Don't assume that because your child read a word correctly yesterday, they've completely mastered it. Continue reviewing skills while gradually introducing new ones.
4. Use books that match your child's reading skills.
Decodable books give children opportunities to practice phonics patterns they've been taught. This helps them experience success while building accuracy and confidence.
5. Celebrate effort and progress.
Instead of focusing only on whether your child gets every word right, notice the strategies they're using.
You might say:
“I love how you looked at all the letters and sounded that word out!”
Or:
“That was a tricky word, but you didn't give up!”
Those little moments of encouragement matter, especially for children who are beginning to believe they're just not good at reading.
When Should You Be Concerned?
It's normal for beginning readers to need repeated practice.
But if your child continues to struggle with words they've practiced many times, there may be an underlying reading difficulty that needs attention.
Some signs I encourage parents to watch for include:
Frequently forgetting letter sounds or familiar words
Guessing words based on the first letter or pictures
Having difficulty blending sounds together
Struggling to spell words they can read
Reading very slowly or with great effort
Becoming frustrated, upset, or avoiding reading altogether
Making very little progress despite consistent practice
If you're noticing several of these signs, I wouldn't recommend simply waiting and hoping your child will eventually catch up.
A reading assessment can help identify which skills are developing and where your child may need more support.
Your Child Can Become a More Confident Reader
One of my favorite things about teaching reading is watching a child begin to realize, “I can do this!”
Sometimes that moment comes when they read a sentence without help.
Sometimes it's when they recognize a word that used to give them trouble.
And sometimes it's simply when they pick up a book without being asked.
Those moments may seem small, but for a child who has struggled with reading, they're incredibly important.
If your child can read a word one day and forget it the next, remember that learning to read is a process.
They may need more time, more practice, or a different instructional approach.
And with the right support, they can make meaningful progress.
Concerned About Your Child's Reading? Let's Talk.
If you've noticed your child forgetting familiar words, guessing while reading, or getting frustrated during reading practice, I'd love to hear what's been going on.
I'm Jessica Mohr, M.Ed., a Reading and Dyslexia Specialist with 31 years of teaching experience and specialized training in the Orton-Gillingham approach.
Through Mohr Reading Tutoring, I provide individualized reading instruction designed to help struggling readers strengthen their skills and build confidence.
I offer online tutoring for families regardless of location, as well as in-person tutoring for families in the Apple Valley, California, area.
I offer a free parent consultation to discuss your child's reading difficulties, share your concerns, and explore what support may help.
Visit www.mohrreadingspecialist.com to learn more or schedule a consultation.
Helping children build stronger reading skills, one success at a time.
