40 Ways to Support Struggling Readers in Content Classrooms, Grades 1-2

40 Ways to Support Struggling Readers in Content Classrooms, Grades 6-12

by Elaine K. McEwan-Adkins

4.1 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	3819 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	198 pages

FREE

Every teacher has students who struggle with reading. In content classrooms, this can be especially challenging, as students are expected to read and comprehend complex texts in order to access the curriculum.

There are many things that teachers can do to support struggling readers in their classrooms. Here are 40 proven strategies:

1. Use multisensory activities

Struggling readers often benefit from multisensory activities that engage their senses of sight, sound, touch, and movement.

Try these activities:
• Have students trace letters and words in sand or shaving cream.
• Use tactile letters or magnetic letters to build words.
• Play rhyming games or sound games.
• Have students act out stories or passages.

2. Provide explicit phonics instruction

Phonics is the relationship between letters and sounds. Explicit phonics instruction teaches students the rules of phonics in a systematic way.

Here are some tips for providing explicit phonics instruction:

• Start with the basics: letter recognition, letter sounds, and blending.
• Use a phonics program that is research-based and systematic.
• Provide plenty of practice opportunities.
• Be patient and supportive.

3. Teach decoding skills

Decoding is the process of figuring out how to pronounce words. Decoding skills are essential for reading fluency.

Here are some tips for teaching decoding skills:

• Use decodable texts that are written with words that students can sound out.
• Provide students with strategies for decoding unfamiliar words.
• Have students practice decoding words in isolation and in context.
• Be patient and supportive.

4. Build fluency

Fluency is the ability to read smoothly, accurately, and with expression. Struggling readers often have difficulty with fluency.

Here are some tips for building fluency:

• Have students practice reading aloud regularly.
• Use choral reading or partner reading to help students build confidence.
• Provide students with scaffolded reading opportunities, such as reading along with an audio recording.
• Be patient and supportive.

5. Develop vocabulary

Vocabulary is the knowledge of words and their meanings. Struggling readers often have limited vocabularies.

Here are some tips for developing vocabulary:

• Expose students to new words regularly through reading, writing, and conversation.
• Use visuals, such as pictures, gestures, or real objects, to help students understand the meaning of new words.
• Provide students with multiple exposures to new words in different contexts.
• Be patient and supportive.

6. Motivate struggling readers

Struggling readers often lack motivation to read. It is important to find ways to motivate these students.

Here are some tips for motivating struggling readers:

• Choose books that are interesting and engaging for students.
• Make reading a social activity by reading aloud to students or having them read to a partner.
• Set realistic goals for students and celebrate their successes.
• Provide students with choices in their reading materials.
• Be patient and supportive.

7. Engage students

Struggling readers need to be engaged in order to learn. Find ways to make reading fun and motivating.

Here are some tips for engaging students:

• Use technology to make reading more interactive.
• Incorporate games and activities into your reading instruction.
• Provide students with opportunities to share their reading with others.
• Be patient and supportive.

8. Differentiate instruction

Differentiated instruction is the process of tailoring instruction to the needs of individual students. This means providing students with different levels of support, different types of activities, and different materials.

Here are some tips for differentiating instruction for struggling readers:

• Assess students' reading abilities and needs.
• Provide students with different levels of support, such as scaffolding, guided reading, or independent reading.
• Use different types of activities to meet the needs of different learners.
• Provide students with different materials, such as leveled texts, audiobooks, or graphic novels.
• Be patient and supportive.

9. Provide scaffolding

Scaffolding is a temporary support system that helps students learn new skills. As students become more proficient, the scaffolding can be gradually removed.

Here are some tips for providing scaffolding for struggling readers:

• Provide students with visual aids, such as charts, diagrams, or pictures.
• Use graphic organizers to help students organize their thoughts.
• Read aloud to students or have them read along with an audio recording.
• Provide students with sentence starters or story starters.
• Be patient and supportive.

10. Provide accommodations and modifications

Accommodations and modifications are changes to the curriculum or instruction that help students with disabilities access the general education curriculum.

Here are some accommodations and modifications that can be helpful for struggling readers:

• Provide students with extended time on tests and assignments.
• Allow students to use audiobooks or assistive technology.
• Modify assignments to make them more accessible for students with disabilities.
• Provide students with preferential seating or other accommodations to help them focus.
• Be patient and supportive.

Supporting struggling readers in content classrooms can be challenging, but it is possible. By using a variety of strategies, teachers can help these students develop the skills they need to become successful readers.

It is important to remember that every student is different. What works for one student may not work for another. It is important to be patient and supportive, and to find the strategies that best meet the needs of each individual student.

40 Ways to Support Struggling Readers in Content Classrooms, Grades 6-12

by Elaine K. McEwan-Adkins

4.1 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	3819 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	198 pages

FREE