Strategies for Struggling Readers

Helping Children Read

Oct 7, 2008 Estela Kennen

Reading is a complex activity; one that can take a lot of time and effort to master. Here are some tips to help teach struggling readers.

Learning literacy is one of the most important roles a child has, and one of the primary functions of schooling at the elementary level. It can be very frustrating - for parents, children, and teachers -- when a child's literacy does not seem to be progressing as quicky as it should. But take heart -- this is a common problem, and can usually be overcome.

Choose the Right Time

Do not force reading. Children tend not to enjoy things they are not good at, especially when extra pressure is put on them. Try to practice reading only when both child and adult are in a good mood and well rested. Read when it's possible to do so in a quiet, comfy spot.

Choose the Right Book

Do not set a struggling reader up for failure. Choose books that are at the child’s reading level – not at the level the child “should” be. Here are two ways to figure if a book is too hard:

  • The Five-Finger Method: Pick a page in the book (somewhere in the middle is good). Have the kid read the book out loud. Every time the child mispronounces or says he/she doesn’t know a word, count it out with your fingers. If, at the end of the page, you have five fingers out, the book is too hard.
  • The Sentence Method: Ask the child to read a page or two aloud, again from the middle of the book. If the reader makes 1-2 errors for every ten or so words, s/he will probably be frustrated reading the rest of the book.

Choose the Right Attitude

Again, reading probably difficult, frustrating, and nerve-wracking for the struggling reader. Kids’ confidence needs to be built up, not torn down.

  • Tell the child about times you have struggled with reading and understanding.
  • Praise the child for any success – or just for having a good attitude.
  • Preview the whole book together, talking about what is going on in the pictures before reading.
  • Don’t correct every mistake, particularly if the misread word fits in the context (for example, saying "a" instead of "the" or "small" instead of "short").
  • At least some of the time, ask the child questions to help her/him figure out the words, rather than saying “Wrong!” or even jumping in with the right word.

Tips for Reading Time

  • Preview the book. This will help give the struggling reader context. Let the kid know about the main character’s hard-to-sound-out name or location.
  • Use guided reading techniques.
  • For beginning or very poor readers, do most of the reading, but have the child follow along with a finger or the eraser-end of a pencil. When you get to a word that s/he should know or that is very clear in context, let the reader join in. This works especially well with books that repeat content (like “This is the house that Jack built”) or with words that rhyme at the end of a sentence.
  • Take turns reading. Switch after every chapter, page, or even after every sentence if necessary. Or do “echo reading”, where both child and adult read at the same time.
  • Take over if the reader gets very frustrated. Finish reading the book out loud to show how fun a story can be.
  • If the reader struggles with a word or two in the middle of the sentence, have him/her go back and reread the whole sentence (or read it out loud). Otherwise, the reader will probably not know what is going on in the book.
  • Reread the same book several times. Read it back-to-back if you both feel like it. Do not worry if it seems like the child is memorizing the book instead of reading it. Memorization is a typical first step. Seeing patterns and understanding how books work are important precursors to reading.
  • Have the child read to someone/thing nonthreatening, like a dog or a younger child.

Learning to read is a complex process, and it requires plenty of patience and work from both the reader and the helping adult. Making the reading situation more pleasant can go a long way to easing anxiety and opening doors to improved literacy.

The copyright of the article Strategies for Struggling Readers in Primary School is owned by Estela Kennen. Permission to republish Strategies for Struggling Readers in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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Comments

Oct 13, 2008 7:46 AM
Guest :
I am a reading recovery teacher and this article gives some very good examples of how a parent can support and help a reader develop.

Linda
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