The short answer: check progress in three ways. First, track where your child is in the book and how that changes month by month. Second, listen to them read a page they have already finished and see whether it is smoother and more confident than before. Third, ask the teacher regular, specific questions about what has improved and what needs work. You do not need to read Arabic to do any of this, and a good teacher will welcome the questions.
Here is how to do each check, and what to do if progress has stalled.
Why it is worth checking
Quran classes can run on autopilot. A child turns up, reads, logs off, and months later a parent realises they are still on the same few pages. Regular, light checks catch that early. They also show your child that you care about what they are learning, which is motivating in itself.
Four simple checks
Check 1: where are they in the book?
The simplest measure is position. Once a month, note down:
- Which lesson of the Qaida, or which page or surah of the Quran, they are on.
- Which surahs they have memorized.
Compare with last month. Movement will not be the same every month, and slower stretches are normal when the teacher is fixing a tricky rule or building fluency. But if nothing has moved for several weeks, ask why.
Be wary of the opposite problem too: very fast movement with shaky reading. Racing through the Qaida without mastering it causes trouble later. For a sense of a realistic pace, see how long it takes a child to learn to read the Quran.
Check 2: listen to an old page
This is the most revealing check, and anyone can do it. Pick a page or surah your child finished a few weeks ago and ask them to read it to you. Listen for:
- Fluency. Do they read steadily, or stop and start?
- Confidence. Is their voice clear, or quiet and uncertain?
- Independence. Can they read it alone, or do they look to you for help?
- Retention. For memorized surahs, can they still recite them without prompting?
If old work is solid, the foundations are good. If they struggle with pages they supposedly finished, the pace may be too fast.
A useful trick: record your child reading a page now, and again in two or three months. Even if you cannot judge every sound, you will hear the difference in fluency.
Check 3: sit in on a class
Watching a class tells you a lot about both your child and the teacher. Notice:
- How much of the lesson your child spends reading aloud. It should be most of it.
- Whether the teacher corrects mistakes clearly and has your child repeat until it is right.
- Whether there is some revision of earlier work, not only new material.
- How your child responds: engaged, or switched off?
Check 4: ask the teacher good questions
"How is she doing?" usually gets "Very good, mashallah." Specific questions get useful answers:
- "What has improved most this month?"
- "What is the one thing they find hardest right now?"
- "What should we practise at home before the next class?"
- "Where do you expect them to be in three months?"
- "Are there any mistakes they keep repeating?"
A good teacher will answer clearly. If answers stay vague over several conversations, that is worth noting.
Signs of real progress
Beyond the page number, look for:
- Your child reading new lines with less help each week.
- Fewer corrections from the teacher for the same mistakes.
- Your child spotting their own mistakes and fixing them.
- Reading or reciting outside class without being asked.
- Using surahs they have learned in their prayers.
Red flags
- Stuck on the same lesson for weeks without a clear explanation.
- Lessons that are mostly the teacher talking while your child listens.
- Old work falling apart because there is no revision.
- Repeated mistakes that never get corrected. Our guide to common Quran recitation mistakes lists the usual ones.
- Your child dreading class for weeks on end. See what to do if your child refuses Quran class.
What to do if progress has stalled
- Talk to the teacher first. Share what you have noticed and ask for a plan for the next month.
- Check the basics at home. Is your child practising between classes? Are classes being missed? Is the time of day right?
- Consider frequency. Sometimes one more class a week makes the difference.
- Change teacher if needed. If a clear plan does not lead to change after a few weeks, a fresh teacher can help.
How we keep you informed
At Online Quran Lessons classes are live, one-to-one and 30 minutes long, and we give you progress feedback. You can sit in on any class without notice, so you always see for yourself how your child is doing. If the match is not right, you can change teacher. On completing a course, students receive a certificate of achievement. Read more about Quran reading with Tajweed.
Get a clear starting point
If you are not sure where your child stands right now, a fresh assessment helps. Book 3 free trial classes, no card needed, and ask the teacher to tell you your child's current level and what the next few months should look like.
