There are many reasons why reading can be hard.  Parents and teachers should become aware of specific areas in which a child is having trouble and begin targeting ways to help.

It’s important to note that struggling readers will often have problems in multiple areas. For example, children who have problems with phonemic awareness almost always have problems in word decoding and phonics; children with fluency problems usually have comprehension weaknesses; and a weak vocabulary also impacts comprehension. Children come to our classrooms from so many different ability levels and backgrounds. As a teacher, it’s important to recognize and know what to do to help a struggling reader.

What should you do to help the struggling readers in your class? The following are seven suggested steps to take:

1. Get to know the student

Find out the interests of your struggling readers and incorporate those into your teaching strategies and the materials you select. For example, a child who loves outer space will be more interested in a book about astronauts than a book about butterflies. A child who loves basketball may be motivated to read the kids sports section of the newspaper.

2. Get to know the family

Helping a child learn to read is a community effort, and sometimes it requires sensitivity on the part of the teacher. Reaching families whose first language is not English may require some special accommodations, like a translator present at meetings and materials sent home in their first language.

3. Encourage good literacy habits at home

Support family reading time by allowing students to borrow books overnight or for a few days. Be sure to send home books that the student can be successful with. During your meetings with the parents of a struggling reader, remind them that daily shared reading is a critical part of literacy growth.

4. Tap into the specialists and resources in your own building

Schools are loaded with resources; make sure to use them to help you! Schedule some time to discuss your struggling student with the speech/language pathologist.

Special education teachers have a wealth of knowledge regarding teaching, dyslexia, learning disabilities, and the special education process. Not only can this individual provide appropriate materials and share ideas and methods, but he or she can also enlighten you regarding your school’s referral process, student rights, and your own rights and responsibilities.

Chances are other teachers in your building are working with struggling readers, too. Find out what resources have been successful for them. For example, is the book you’re using for reading groups on tape? Can this tape be sent home with the student? Have other teachers already created graphic organizers for the content you are now teaching?

5. Reflect on your own research-based teaching

Good beginning reading instruction teaches children how to identify words, to understand what they read, to achieve fluency, and to develop a love of reading that will motivate them and stay with them for the rest of their lives. It is systematic and it integrates instruction in both comprehension and decoding (the ability to sound out words) to provide children the experiences they need.

Most importantly, good reading instruction is tailored to the individual needs of students. If you are concerned about your level of training in an area of teaching reading, seek out some professional development. Talk to your team leader and principal about workshops and classes that could help you understand how to integrate the five components of reading (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and text comprehension) into your daily instruction.

6. Advocate for the student through school-based and outside resources

Many schools have a tutoring program in place for struggling readers. Tutoring often takes place before or after school and can involve teachers, assistants, or community volunteers. Find out what is available within your building and get involved. If nothing exists within your building, encourage the family to seek out outside resources at a research university, for example, or private tutoring clinics or private reading specialists.

7. Stay informed

Whether you’re new to the profession or an expert teacher, it’s important to keep current with what’s going on in the fields of reading and special education. There are several excellent web sites and professional resources that will help you meet the needs of your students.

References:

Joanne Meier, Karen Freck

http://www.readingrockets.org/article/seeking-help-struggling-reader-seven-steps-teachers

http://www.readingrockets.org/helping/target

By: Elsa T. Bumatay | Teacher III | Mountain View Elementary School | Mariveles, Bataan