Most Students Are Struggling to Read Because They Can’t Think—Here’s How to Fix It

Reading struggles are often misdiagnosed as an inability to decode or comprehend text. But what if the real issue isn’t reading at all? What if students are struggling because they lack the cognitive functions necessary to process information, make connections, and think critically?

For decades, literacy instruction has focused primarily on phonics, fluency, and comprehension. While these components are essential, they do not address the foundational thinking skills required for students to become proficient readers. Many struggling readers are not just failing to decode words; they are failing to process and organize information in a way that makes reading meaningful.

The Thinking Deficit in Reading

Cognitive science tells us that reading is more than just recognizing words. It is an intricate process that requires multiple layers of thinking, including:

• Pattern Recognition: The ability to recognize letter and word patterns and apply them consistently.
• Working Memory: Holding and manipulating information while reading.
• Inference Making: Filling in gaps in the text by connecting prior knowledge with new information.
• Cognitive Flexibility: Shifting between different ideas and adjusting to new information while reading.
• Metacognition: Thinking about one’s own thinking to monitor comprehension.

When these cognitive functions are underdeveloped, students struggle to engage with text in meaningful ways. This is why some students appear to read fluently but fail comprehension tests. They are mechanically decoding but lack the thinking structures necessary for deep understanding.

The Research: Why Thinking Matters for Reading

Studies have shown that cognitive skills are directly linked to reading proficiency. A 2021 study from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development found that students with working memory deficits are significantly more likely to struggle with reading comprehension, even if their phonics skills are strong. Similarly, research from the Journal of Educational Psychology highlights that students who develop inference-making and metacognition skills demonstrate 30-40% higher reading comprehension levels than those who rely solely on phonics-based instruction.

This evidence confirms what many educators already sense: teaching students to read without developing their thinking skills is like giving them a map without teaching them how to navigate.

A Real-Life Example: When Reading Isn’t the Real Issue

Take Maya, a third grader who could decode words fluently but had no idea what she had just read. Her real issue wasn’t phonics—it was working memory and inference-making. She struggled to hold information long enough to process it, and she lacked the ability to connect ideas between sentences. When her teacher shifted the focus to building her thinking skills through visualization, questioning strategies, and active discussion, her reading comprehension soared. Maya didn’t need more phonics lessons—she needed cognitive scaffolding.

Why Traditional Literacy Instruction Falls Short

Most literacy instruction focuses on isolated skills. Students are taught to decode words, memorize sight words, and answer comprehension questions. But for students who lack strong cognitive foundations, these skills are disconnected and ineffective.

For example, a child who struggles with working memory may forget the beginning of a sentence by the time they reach the end. A student with weak pattern recognition may struggle to recognize that the word “thought” follows the same orthographic patterns as other familiar words. And without inference-making skills, students will read the words on the page but fail to grasp deeper meanings.

Merging Literacy with Cognition: A New Approach

If we want to truly address reading struggles, we must shift our focus from merely teaching literacy skills to developing the cognitive functions that support reading. Here’s how:

1. Teach Students How to Think Before Expecting Them to Read

• Integrate visual puzzles, pattern recognition games, and categorization activities to build cognitive flexibility and problem-solving skills.
• Develop auditory processing with sound discrimination exercises to help students differentiate between phonemes more effectively.
• Use story sequencing activities to strengthen memory and logical ordering skills.

2. Use Mediated Learning to Build Cognitive Capacity

• Instead of simply correcting mistakes, teachers must guide students through the thinking process. Ask, “How did you arrive at that answer?” to encourage metacognitive reflection.
• Model cognitive strategies by thinking aloud while reading.
• Scaffold learning by providing tools like graphic organizers, checklists, and self-questioning prompts.

3. Strengthen Executive Function Skills Alongside Literacy

• Incorporate activities that improve self-regulation, attention control, and cognitive flexibility—skills that directly impact reading comprehension.
• Teach students how to set reading goals, monitor their progress, and reflect on their thinking to improve self-directed learning.

4. Connect Reading to Real-World Thinking

• Engage students in debates, discussions, and problem-solving tasks that require them to analyze and apply what they read.
• Use multisensory learning approaches—linking reading to music, movement, and art—to engage different areas of the brain.

How to Implement This Without Overloading Teachers

One of the biggest concerns educators face is how to integrate cognitive development into an already packed curriculum. The good news? It doesn’t require an entirely new approach—just small, intentional shifts:

• Embed Cognitive Skill Development in Everyday Lessons: Instead of adding new tasks, modify existing literacy activities by incorporating explicit thinking prompts, pattern-recognition tasks, and problem-solving discussions.
• Leverage Group Work and Peer Discussion: Cognitive skills grow through social interaction. Structured peer discussions and guided questioning can enhance inferencing and comprehension without requiring extra time.
• Use Quick Cognitive Warm-Ups: Dedicate 5-7 minutes daily to a cognitive warm-up—like a logic puzzle or verbal reasoning task—to prime students’ brains for deeper literacy engagement.
• Professional Development & Teacher Support: Schools should provide training on cognitive literacy strategies to help teachers feel confident in integrating these methods without feeling overwhelmed.

The Call to Action: Teach Thinking, Not Just Reading

If we continue to focus on reading as an isolated skill, we will continue to see students struggle. The problem isn’t just a literacy gap—it’s a thinking gap. By merging literacy with cognition, we can unlock students’ potential and create lifelong learners who not only read fluently but think critically.

Before labeling a child as a struggling reader, ask: What cognitive functions might be missing?

Educators, policymakers, and parents must rethink literacy instruction. If we truly want to close the reading gap, we must first close the thinking gap.

The question is no longer just “Can this student read?” but “Can this student think?” If we answer the latter, we will solve the former.

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