Title: Learning Disabilities and the K-12 Reluctant Reader: Motivating Johnny to Read
1Learning Disabilities and the K-12 Reluctant
Reader Motivating Johnny to Read
2Who are these reluctant readers?
Children who are intelligent and interested in
reading, but don't read well
3Who are these reluctant readers?
Children who seem to have no interest, and since
they do not read regularly, are falling, or at
risk of falling, behind
4Who are these reluctant readers?
The I do not like to read child who reads
well but has little interest in reading and will
often tell you so
5Majority of our students
Children who are dealing with specific learning
problems that impede their ability, and
willingness, to read
6The Big Question
- How should teachers, librarians, and parents
respond to students who have little motivation to
read and who therefore do not ask for guidance?
7The Answer
- Know the students, know the books, and seek
creative ways to connect the two.
8Strategies
- Get to know your reader
- Select materials that excite
- Involve parents
- Choose creative activities
91. Know Your Readers
- Know their reading levels/interest levels
- Talk to the student (handout questionnaire)
- Look at the student reading scores
- Talk to previous teachers
- Review library check-outs if available
- Review RC or AR records if available
10Know your reader
- Know their frustration level Sample the book
with them for readability - 5 finger test Read a page without missing 5
words. Read a page and summarize it. - Goldilocks Rule Not too easy,
- not too hard,
- but just right
- Know their staying power
- - thin book vs. thick book
- - Harry Potter vs. ?
-
11Know your teen readers
- Teen survey
- Find out what movies the students watch, and lead
them to books that deal with similar themes or
topics. - Based on the Book web site 1,200 titles
12Answer to I dont know what I like to read
- Introduce them to the genres
- SCASL State lists such as the Book Award
Nominees (See handouts)
13Discus What Should I Read Next?
142. Give them a choice!
- Series
- For many children, collecting, borrowing and
reading series books is cool. - Recognizing an author and his/her style
15Comic Books/Graphic Novels
- Educators call them sub-literature
- Reluctant readers call them Favorites
- See list of recommended titles on handout
- Sunday Newspaper Comics is a good place to start
- Check out the designated level
16Audio Books
- The road to becoming a reader begins with
listening to stories read aloud - YALSA Selected Audio Books
- ALA Notable Childrens Recordings
17Assistive technology
- Reading Penshttp//www.quick-pen.com/readingpen-b
asic.shtml - Kurzweil Reading and Writinghttp//www.kurzweiled
u.com/files/K300020V1020Datasheet.ƒ.pdf - TextHelp Read and Write Goldhttp//www.texthelp.c
om/webfiles/US20RWG81WinFlyerFinal_030807.pdf
18Give them a choice!
- Non-fiction vs. fiction
- Nonfiction is generally visual thus it can help
reluctant readers make the connection between an
idea and the written word - DK Non-Fiction
19Give them a choice!
- Magazines Scholastic choices for the reluctant
reader - Beyond the subscriptions
- Skateboarding
- Fishing
- Surfing
- Classic cars/Hot rods
- Golfing (Not the standard football, basketball,
baseball coverage)
20Give them a choice!
- Heaven forbid you give them a classic to read!!!!
- Adapted classics
- Pearson Globe
21Give them a choice!
- Poetry, plays, prose, chat-style books, short
stories, essays -- give them a book that they
didnt know counted as a book. - Drop your prejudices!! Chicken soup for the soul
(Short Stories) or Chicken soup for the Librarian
who is tired of Chicken soup.
22Give them a choice!
- Banned books - Participate in the ALA banned book
week. This year was September 29October 6, 2007 - Number one banned book in 2005 was the Bible
(OCLC Online Computer Library Center ) - Huckleberry Finn
- Don Quixote
- Koran
- Tom Sawyer
- Arabian Knights
- Gullivers Travels
- Canterbury Tales
- Scarlet Letter
- Leaves of Grass
23Give them something different!
- Reading A-Z (interactive books on websites
subscription/samples free) http//www.readinga-z.c
om/newfiles/preview.html - Headsprout www.headsprout.com (subscription)
- Book Adventure www.bookadventure.org (free)
Create reading lists and earn prizes/points after
taking a quiz. (Sylvan) - I-Pod Books - http//etext.lib.virginia.edu/ebooks
/ Free downloadable 2,100 books for Microsoft
reader or Palm reader - Project Gutenberg - http//www.gutenberg.org/wiki/
Main_Page - See handouts
24High Interest/Low Level Books
253. Parental involvement
- By Joyce Melton Pagés, Ed.D. (Handout)
- 1. Set-up a family library or a children's
library. - 2. Give children's books as gifts.
- 3. Establish a family silent reading time.
- 4. Visit the library and check-out books on a
regular basis. Go to bookstore and library story
times. Library Card! - 5. Read to your children
26Parental involvement
- 6. Help your child find books related to his/her
interests and hobbies. - 7. Subscribe to a children's magazine (in your
child's name) - 8. Help your child locate books with characters
- that are his/her age or in his/her grade in
school. - 9. Allow children to choose their own
- books.
- 10. Have your child keep
- a record of his/her reading.
27Parental Involvement
- Special occasions and gift giving
- Bean bag chair
- Boxed book set of a series
- Bookmark that reflects childs interest
- Word of the day calendar
- Fun reading lamp (flashlight)
- Activity books
284. Choose Creative Activities
- Back to the question What do you like to read?
- Conduct a student survey
- Introduce books from all the different genres
- When all else fails Incentive programs
- What to read next? Discus database
29Teachers involvement
- READ the books! Booktalk!
- Dont get stuck in the 60s!
- Try something new!
- Podcasts
- Writing reviews
- Amazon
- Teen read web site
- School paper
- School web site or discussion board
- Book Clubs
30Teacher involvement
- Poetry
- Read aloud and audio
- Variables
- Three Little Pigs
- Cinderella
- Little Red Riding Hood
31Topics young students love
32Choose Creative Activities
- Participate in a D.E.A.R. Day
33Puppets
- Let the puppet read. Its the puppets mistake
if it mispronounces a word.
34Author Visits
- Talk to local authors.
- Visit their book signings
- Often they will appear free.
Julie McLaughlin, author, and Ann Marie McKay,
illustrator, visited lower school students to
present their newest collaboration, Mr. Gator's
Up the Creek.
K-5 students gathered in the library to hear
Christi Sanford talk about the process by which a
book is written and published. She read her
three books about Legare, the Lowcountry Lizard.
35Flat Stanley
36Incentives
- Baseball cap with badges
- Posters with students photo
- Pencils
- Wrist bands
- Check out incentive catalogs
37Strategies
- Get to know your reader
- Select materials that excite
- Involve parents
- Choose creative activities