There is no question that we have to go to see doctors when we are sick.

Doctors will diagnose

our symptoms, identify the causes, and offer a prescription. This is the usual procedure for one to get
well. However, a lot of students confront high frustration when they read. They dont know how to deal
with reading problems and recover effective learning. Its difficult for them to find suitable reading
teacher to diagnose their reading difficulties and to offer correction and prescription. The aim of
conducting a diagnostic reading and diagnostic teaching is to help the child improve his reading
problems.
The rationale underlying diagnostic reading tests is that the instruments have to aid
teachers/tutors to clearly assess childs specific strengths and weaknesses. What is diagnostic teaching?
Salvia and Ysseldyke (1988) define diagnostic teaching as the practice of systematic trial and evaluation
of a variety of instructional strategies (including materials, methods of presentation, and methods of
feedback) with individual students as part of their everyday educational program. It is sometimes called
trial teaching (Gumming, 998; Harris & Sipay, 1985). The major purpose of diagnostic teaching is: (1)
diagnostic since it collects the additional information to clarify and check the previous hypotheses
generated regarding the initial results of the assessment-instruction process, and (2) instructional
because teachers/tutors have opportunities to examine the instructional methods and materials that
may be successful alternatives for working with a student (Lipson & Wixson, 1997). A teacher/tutor thus
has to continuously assess students reading problems with diverse diagnostic instruments and
inventories.
The purpose of this diagnostic reading and diagnostic teaching can help students who
encounter reading difficulty to solve reading problems and promote reading competence and potential.
The objectives of diagnostic teaching included increasing sight vocabulary, improving the ability to
decode vowel diphthongs, increasing his reading rate and fluency and connecting the process of reading
and writing. Through weeks of tutoring, the student improved both word recognition and oral
comprehension.