Struggling Adolescent Readers

1. Struggling Adolescent Readers SharonEricMelissaDavid

2. Research says . . . • One in four students in grades four through twelve was a struggling reader in 2005. • Fewer than one-third of public school 8th graders read at, or above grade level

3. Characteristics of Struggling Adolescent Readers in Word Study • May read single-syllable words • May have difficulty decoding longer multisyllabic words. • May lack knowledge of the ways in which sounds map to print. • May have difficulty breaking words into syllables. • Might not use word analysis strategies to break words into syllables.

4. What to do for a Struggling Adolescent Reader in Word Study. • Break words into syllable types. • Use and read multisyllabic words by blending parts together. • Recognize irregular words • Teach meanings of common prefixes, suffixes, inflectional endings, and roots • Break words into word parts and combine word parts to create words

5. Characteristics of Struggling Adolescent Readers in Fluency • Read slowly • May struggle with decoding • May not pause at punctuation • Often lacks voice or emotion while reading

6. What to do for a Struggling Adolescent Reader in Fluency • Repeated Readings • Non-repetitive wide reading • Passage preview with audio books • Provide corrective feedback • Use individual reading level • Read aloud books • Accessible texts on a lower level

7. Characteristics of Struggling Adolescent Readers in Vocabulary • Have limited exposure to new words. • May not enjoy reading • Does not select reading for independent activity. • unable to comprehend consistently • Lack experiences necessary to gain deep understanding of new words. • have limited content-specific prior knowledge to support word learning.

8. What to do for a Struggling Adolescent Reader in Vocabulary. • Study synonyms • Contextual Redefinition • Teach structure of words – roots, affixes, derivation, and meaning • Word Maps • Group similar words to build a scaffold to new vocabulary. • Use keywords and mnemonics

9. Characteristics of Struggling Adolescent Readers in Comprehension • May not be aware when understanding breaks down. • Do not interact with text • May lack subject-specific prior knowledge. • Do not make connections between what they are learning and what they already know. • May not use strategies to gain information from text. • May fail to read with purpose or goals.

10. What to do for a Struggling Adolescent Reader in Comprehension • K-W-L Chart • Think alouds during reading • Anticipation guides • Questioning the text. Do the views of the text align with the reader’s views? • Directed reading activities: pre-reading, reading, and post reading activities (RAP) • Audio books

11. Characteristics of Struggling Adolescent Readers in Motivation • May engage in reading as a passive process • Often have low comprehension of text. • If given the choice, prefer not to read. • May not be interested in exploring topics or content through reading.

12. What to do for a Struggling Adolescent Reader in Motivation • Incorporate Technology • Interactive smart board • Nontraditional Text • High-interest • CNN Student News • Time for Kids series

13. 4 Essential Features of Intervention • Personalized and ongoing assessments • Substantial opportunities to read and write • Extensive and varied collection of reading materials • Expert teachers as instructors

14. Remember . . . • Students are not “one size fits all.” • One strategy will not work for all students. • Each struggling reader has his/her own needs.

15. Taylor, C. R. (n.d.). Engaging the struggling reader: Focusing on reading and success across the content areas. (2012). National Tacher Education Journal, 5(2), 51-58. Ivey, G. (2009).  Intervening when older youth struggle with reading. In K.A. Hinkchman, & H.K. Sheridan-Thomas, (Eds.), Best practices in adolescent literacy instruction. New York, NY: The Guilford Press Boardman, A. G., Roberts, G., Vaughn, S., Wexler, J., Murray, C. S., & Kosanovich, M. (2008). Effective instruction for adolescent struggling readers: A practice brief. Portsmouth, NH: RMC Research Corporation, Center on Instruction (Preferred citation posted on this article) Newman, C., Wexler, T., & Wexler, J. (n.d.). 10 ways to teach and support struggling adolescent readers. (2007). Kappa Delta Pi Record, 22-27.