Support for Struggling Readers

In order to support struggling readers, there are a few research-based strategies that can be used. Teachers should be able to promote self monitoring for students while they read. For example, students should be able to pause after reading and comprehend what they just read. Students can annotate, highlight, write notes while they read in order for them to better comprehend what they are reading. This will allow students the chance to have a better understanding of what they are reading as they move ahead with the reading. This strategy can be helpful because it can scaffold a students ability to comprehend difficult texts on their own for the future. This specific strategy can be very useful while reading primary and secondary sources in history. Some reading in social studies classes can be difficult for students to read. Having students pause or write notes as they are reading allows them to decipher the text more successfully. Another strategy that can be useful for supporting struggling readers is providing books and materials in various formats. Some students can get fatigued by reading constantly from documents that are handed to them. Teachers can switch up the way in which they are delivering the reading material. For instance, teachers can provide audiobooks or graphic novels for the students to create better engagement. Teachers can also have students switch off reading different segments or read the text to the students so that they are able to follow along. These simple techniques can create a more engaging reading environment which could allow students to feel more confident about their reading abilities.

There are many ways in which teachers can motivate their students to read. One example would be to allow time for students to read a variety of multimodal texts on a daily basis. Teachers can take at least 5 minutes a day out of their lesson to provide a literacy based assignment that can slowly build the students’ confidence while reading. Using multimodal texts will prevent the students from getting fatigued from reading from documents by themselves on a daily basis. Students will slowly grow as readers and potentially grow a stronger desire to read in their personal time. Teachers should provide a variety of engaging texts that will grab students’ attention. Teachers need to be able to introduce a variety of readings into the classroom. If teachers only use fact based secondary and primary sources everyday that are not engaging, students will have less of a desire to continue to engage in the readings. Especially in social studies classrooms, teachers can find very engaging materials for students to read that can create a successful literate classroom. In my classroom, I would love to introduce historical fiction books that can engage students as it has engaged me personally. I feel that finding the right book that has to do with the content material can really be critical to developing a students’ literacy skills. I was never a reader when I was younger, but I feel that I have rekindled my passion for reading due to a book club assignment that was introduced to us in class. Now, I am already on to my second book that wasn’t even assigned for me to read. I actually just want to read a book on my own time.

As I said, getting the engagement of the students to read is a very hard process for teachers. Teachers need to collect data and find out what types of books or texts would be engaging for the students. I think that providing a wide spectrum of book or document genres into the classroom can help accommodate every students preferred readings. As teachers, it is important that we introduce new and engaging ways in which students can emotionally engage with what they are reading. Teachers should also create encouraging relationships with their students. When students feel that they are being pushed to do something in a supportive way, they are more prone to react positively. If a teacher has a good relationship with a student who is struggling to read, the teacher can recommend a book, article, or other text that may spark an interest for that student. If teachers have a good relationship with their students, they can help provide the materials that may be necessary for students to engage in what they are reading. Motivation and encouragement seems like such an easy concept to get students to read, but it is overlooked or misused a lot in education. Teachers may not be providing the necessary materials to actually engage students in their readings. In my field placement, at Berkmar Middle School, I am amazed by the amount of students who actually read in their free time. I think this is partly because of the free time that my MT provides for the students to read anything of their choosing. This promotes students to read books that actually interest them, which, in turn, allows students to have more confidence when it comes to reading in their content classes.