Motivating Struggling Readers

This article shares 5 examples of ways to motivate struggling readers.
http://www.imaginelearning.com/blog/index.php/2010/07/five-strategies-for-motivating-your-struggling-reader/

A way not mentioned in the article to motivate students to read is to give them interesting books as gifts. This Christmas my niece will be receiving a set of 10 easy readers that are winter themed as part of the gifts that I have purchased for her. Magazine subscriptions are also a way to get reluctant readers to read. For recommendations on the best books of the year check out this link: http://imaginationsoup.net/2010/11/2010-holiday-gift-guide-kids-books-best-recommended-gifts-presents/

What Good Readers Do- Older Grades

Have a student that during independent reading time will read out loud rather than silently?
Check out the link below!  One of the things that you will learn is how to help a student transition from reading out loud to being able to read silently and still comprehend the text.
                                     http://jc-schools.net/read6-12/Good%20Readers.ppt

This is PowerPoint  presentation that you can share with older students. It discusses many of the different thought processes and questions that students should be asking themselves before, during, and after reading. These questions could also be used to check students' comprehension after reading through a text.

If there's any strategies that you use in your classroom or with your child that you did not find in the presentation, leave a comment so that others can learn from your expertise!

Background Knowledge

One common problem for struggling readers is having difficulty with reading comprehension. There are many causes for students not comprehending what they have read including spending too much energy on decoding the text. An easy fix is to lower the difficulty of the reading material so that less energy is spent on word calling so that more attention can be given to comprehension. Another reason for lack of comprehension is that students do not have background knowledge on the topic. It is important to build background knowledge prior to starting a new story and continually activate student knowledge and connections while reading the text.
One way that you could activate background knowledge is to use a quick video of the topic from websites such as  http://www.youtube.com/ or share one of your personal experiences that relates to the text. Not only do videos increase students background knowledge but it gives them motivation for reading. For more information about background knowledge, read this article: http://www.bnkst.edu/literacyguide/back.html

Parent Tips for Reading at Home with K-2 Students

This video suggests a variety of ways that you can help improve your child's reading comprehension by: making predictions, taking picture walks, and talking to your children about what they read. Check it out! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXijm36S_AI&feature=related

Readers' Theater

One of the easiest ways to help children to increase their reading fluency is to encourage them to reread materials that they have already read. There are many ways to encourage children to reread including: having them read in a particular voice (happy, sad, scared, etc...), perform their reading to an audience, and using readers' theaters. Readers' theaters work well when they are performed in small groups.There are many readers' theater resources available online, one of the websites that I often visit for reader's theater scripts is: http://www.mandygregory.com/readers_theater.htm#Where%20Can%20I%20Find%20Scripts

Books to Use with Struggling Readers

Although leveled books are important to have students read when they are first learning to read they should not be the only books that students have access to during independent reading times. It is important to find a balance between the easy readers and picture books that will engage even the reluctant readers. Below is an article that discusses this topic in more detail. http://www.choiceliteracy.com/public/322.cfm

Phonics Instruction

Struggling readers need to be explicitly taught phonics in order to develop basic reading skills.
I have been looking for new instructional materials to help make progress with my beginning readers. While at the teacher store, I came across the book shown below. I did a little investigating online to get consumers feedback on how useful the text was for them in their teaching position. After reading through multiple positive feedback and evaluating the text for ease of use and application, I decided to purchase it. I think that this will help my phonics instruction be more precise and sequential. If you are looking for a way to improve your phonics instruction for teaching small groups then I would recommend you check into this book.

                                     
Available for purchase online at http://www.amazon.com/Systematic-Sequential-Phonics-They-Use/dp/0887245811/ref=pd_sim_t_3

Read Alouds Online

Another wonderful resource to use with struggling readers, at this site you can find stories that are read aloud while the illustrations are shown. There is even an option to turn on closed caption so that beginning readers can follow along with the text. Enjoy books at: http://www.storylineonline.net/

Teacher's Toolbox

http://www.peterpappas.com/blogs/read-blog/non-reader-complete.pdf

This PDF document provides a wealth of knowledge for anyone that is working with students that are reading below grade level. It includes eleven strategies to use to help the "Non-Reader". Three of the strategies that I regularly use with my small groups include: audio- assisted reading, the use of Readers Theatre, and choral reading. These three strategies have helped my students to have success with text and improve their reading skills. Perhaps you will find a strategy that you have not yet tried that will empower your students. This document also provides a "Teacher's Toolbox" that consists of graphic organizers and an explanation of strategies to help support struggling readers in the classroom.

Five Components of Reading Instruction ---Free Resources

There are five components of reading instruction addressed in school reading programs:
* Phonological Awareness  * Phonics   *Fluency     * Vocabulary    *Comprehension

At fcrr.org you can access a plethora of activities that are divided into grade levels (K-1, 2-3, or 4-5) then divided into the five components of reading instruction. Under each section there is a list of specific skills that are taught. All of the activities include directions, manipulatives (if needed), and student materials. If you have a printer and a few minutes to put together the activities, you will be set with new materials to help strengthen children's reading skills. These activities work well with students because most of them appear in a game format. Even reluctant readers are excited about reading when it is presented as a game....enjoy!

http://www.fcrr.org/Curriculum/studentCenterActivities.shtm

Hi-Lo Books for Reluctant Readers

Sparklers are a great example of Hi-Lo books. Hi-Lo books are ideal for students that are reluctant readers that are reading below grade level. These books provide high interest with low readability levels. Hi-Lo books look age appropriate for students and can be motivating to struggling readers.This set consists of chapter books that allow for students to gain confidence in their reading ability and learn to enjoy longer texts. The Sparklers set has a variety of books that are written at a first to second grade reading level. The books interest levels range from grades 2-5. I have enjoyed listening to the amusing stories on CD with my direct reading groups.  My favorite book in the red set is "Jell-It Jack". For more information on the various titles that are available visit: http://www.sundancepub.com/c/@V5vgOJo0zLk7A/Pages/product.html?record@S3722

Strategies to Support Students with ADD or a Learning Disability

http://childdevelopmentinfo.com/learning/teacher.shtml

This article provides a variety of suggestions for teachers that could also be modified and be used by parents when working on academic tasks at home. At the bottom of the web page there are 35 common classroom behaviors with suggestions on how to alter the behavior by modifying your current teaching practices. Do you currently utilize these strategies or have one that is not listed on the web page that may help another teacher? If so, please feel free to share your idea as a comment.....
 

First Grade Reading Strategies Song

First Grade Reading Strategies Song

This is a video of a song that can be used to teach your students a variety of strategies to use while reading. It includes strategies such as look at the picture, skip then go back, get your mouth ready, does it sound right? It has a very catchy tune that is easy to memorize! :)

Online Reading Resources for Children

http://www.starfall.com/

This is a wonderful website that children can use to improve their reading skills. The activities range in ability from learning the alphabet to reading books from various genres. These activities are available for free.

http://www.raz-kids.com/

This website is ideal for teachers to use in their classroom. The only downside is that it requires a subscription. However, it is well worth the cost if it will be used regularly by the students. It allows students the opportunity to log on from any computer that has internet connection and read their assigned level text. The website provides support to readers by providing the option of reading the text to the students, independent reading, and a comprehension quiz at the end of each book. There is also a place where students can record themselves reading the text. The teacher can log on at any location to view the progress of each student, which activities that they have completed and any skills that they missed on the comprehension quiz. I bought a membership to use with my students two weeks ago and it has improved their motivation to read. I was surprised to hear that a few of my students were logging on to read outside of school because they are reluctant readers. I’m glad that I have found a way to make reading enjoyable for them and expose them to a variety of text.

Strategies for Teachers to Use with Struggling Readers

http://www.readingrockets.org/article/4528
This article provides several suggestions for teachers to support struggling readers in their classroom. These tips can be used by parents as well to help support their children. In my opinion, the two easiest suggestions to implement include: determining the interests of the students and provide reading material that relates to their interests and allowing students to borrow books from the classroom. This year I finally have a classroom library and the children often ask to borrow books. It is so heart warming when I say " Yes, you can borrow one" then they ask if they can borrow two. :)