"I can't read"

While at work last week, I was allowing a couple of my first graders test out one of my activities I had made for my Math and Science learning center. I gave the two girls the printed directions and the folder containing the materials. Immediately student A replies, speaking of the directions, "I can't read" and passing them to student B. Next student A says, "Well I can't read very good." I was shocked. Student A is a struggling reader and writer, but I had no clue that she would ever say those words! I immediately told that what she said is absolutely not true and that she can read. She gave me a hesitant look. I then place the directions in front of her and told her that she can read this and told her that we would read it together. I was really caught off guard by her words and cannot stand that a child feels this way. I work one-on-one with this student on a daily basis and with this experience, I am even more motivated to help this student build her reading skills.