FREE READING ASSESSMENT • AGES 4–15
Reading Help for Kids, Ages 4 to 15
Whether your child is just learning letter sounds or is a teen who still avoids reading, the program works the same way: a free reading assessment, one course picked for your child, and short lessons you can do at home.
How old is your child? Jump to their age:
How the Reading Program Works (At Any Age)
Whatever your child’s age, the steps are the same. Only the lessons change.
Take the free reading assessment
Enter your email, tell us your child’s age and grade, and answer a few quick questions about how they read today.
We pick the right course
Your child’s answers decide the course. You don’t have to guess a level or pick from a menu.
Short lessons at home
Bite-size reading lessons your child can finish after school, building one skill at a time.
Support from Dr. Nancy
Every plan includes the Skool Parent Community: Dr. Nancy’s private parent group with weekly live sessions, all recorded.
Built by Dr. Nancy Barker, Ed.D.
Dr. Nancy has spent almost 50 years in education. Read Like Rocky turns that experience into a simple plan for parents: find out where your child really is in reading, then work on the right skills in the right order, a little at a time. And you’re not on your own: the Skool Parent Community gives you weekly live sessions with Dr. Nancy, recorded so you can watch any time.
Reading Help by Age
Here’s what children usually work on at each age. The assessment shows exactly where your child is.
Reading Help for Ages 4–6 (Pre-K to 1st Grade)
This is where reading starts. Kids this age build the sound skills that make reading click.
What kids this age work on
- Letter names and the sounds each letter makes
- Rhyming and hearing the separate sounds in a word
- Blending sounds into simple words like c-a-t
- First sight words and short, decodable sentences
- Listening to stories and talking about them
Not reading yet? That’s normal at 4. The assessment can point younger children to pre-reading foundations before phonics.
Reading Help for Ages 7–9 (2nd to 4th Grade)
Kids move from sounding out words to reading smoothly and understanding what they read.
What kids this age work on
- Phonics patterns, vowel teams and longer words
- Reading aloud smoothly, without guessing or skipping words (fluency)
- Understanding and retelling what they just read
- Growing vocabulary through stories and talk
Common signs parents notice: guessing from the first letter, slow word-by-word reading, or reading fine but not remembering the story.
Reading Comprehension Help for Ages 10–12 (5th to 7th Grade)
Schoolwork now depends on reading to learn: chapter books, science and social studies text.
What kids this age work on
- Finding the main idea and supporting details
- Figuring out new words from context
- Summarizing chapters and textbook sections
- Building reading stamina for longer assignments
Many kids this age read the words well but miss the meaning. The assessment checks both.
Reading Help for Teens Ages 13–15 (8th to 10th Grade)
Teens need to read closely across every class and keep up with heavier reading loads.
What kids this age work on
- Making inferences and reading between the lines
- Following and judging an author’s argument
- Academic vocabulary for science, history and English
- Reading longer texts with focus and confidence
If your teen still struggles with decoding, the assessment can place them in foundational reading built for older learners, without little-kid material.
Reading Help for Teens 16 and Older
The free reading assessment accepts teens 16 and older, too. It recommends the course that matches your teen’s skills today, including foundational reading for older learners.
Reading Program FAQ
Is the reading assessment really free?
Yes. Enter your email, answer the questions, and you’ll see your child’s results right away. We also email you a copy.
Do I have to choose a reading course?
No. The assessment picks the course from your child’s answers, so there’s no menu and no guessing.
My child can read the words but doesn’t understand them. Can this help?
Yes. Comprehension and vocabulary are part of the assessment, and the recommended course focuses on what your child needs most.
What is the Skool Parent Community?
It’s Dr. Nancy’s private online group for parents (Skool is the name of the platform, not a school). It includes weekly live sessions with Dr. Nancy, and every session is recorded so you can watch later. It’s included with your plan.
How much does it cost?
Plans start at $89/month for one course or $129/month for two courses. You can also buy a single course one time for $597. Every plan has a 7-day money-back guarantee. Your child’s results page shows the options after the assessment.
Who is Dr. Nancy Barker?
Dr. Nancy Barker, Ed.D., has spent almost 50 years in education. She created Read Like Rocky to give parents a clear, simple plan for helping their child at home.
Find the Right Reading Course for Your Child
It takes a few minutes. Enter your email, answer a few questions, and see your child’s results right away.