by Susan Tegen, Literacy Specialist Focus K-4:
Ideas for our Most Struggling Readers from Nancy Updegraff 3/11/08
(Shared during a round table discussion with her. )
Here are two activities that you can use during your guided reading time with your lowest groups or individually with students who really struggle. These quick “warm up” activities are intended to help students build their memory and fluency, and are specifically designed for students who need this extra practice. (Please know that not every students needs to do this.)
Brain Training for Memory/High Frequency Words (5 Min. Warm-up)
Teach kids HOW to remember/visualize.
**After they are good, start to do with basic sight words.
Slow processing is a “habit” that can be broken.
*Use EZ reader for tracking (colored)
1st Time teacher reads and student tracks
2nd time student reads along with the teacher (and tracks)
3rd time student reads alone
Use same passage (Fluency Builder Card from Harcourt Brace) for 3 days. After six weeks of fluency building begin to ask:
Who, What, Where, When, Why? (After they have read the card.)
Ideas for our Most Struggling Readers from Nancy Updegraff 3/11/08
(Shared during a round table discussion with her. )
Here are two activities that you can use during your guided reading time with your lowest groups or individually with students who really struggle. These quick “warm up” activities are intended to help students build their memory and fluency, and are specifically designed for students who need this extra practice. (Please know that not every students needs to do this.)
Brain Training for Memory/High Frequency Words (5 Min. Warm-up)
Teach kids HOW to remember/visualize.
- Show three items, point to the items and say what they are. Repeat.
- Ask students, “What were the items?”
- Have them close eyes and see the items. Say the items in order.
- Take one away. Have them say the items and have them say what’s missing.
- Do it for all items.
**After they are good, start to do with basic sight words.
- Point and say letters, visualize, take one letter away. (with one word)
- Point and say words, visualize, take one word away. (with multiple word cards)
Slow processing is a “habit” that can be broken.
*Use EZ reader for tracking (colored)
1st Time teacher reads and student tracks
2nd time student reads along with the teacher (and tracks)
3rd time student reads alone
Use same passage (Fluency Builder Card from Harcourt Brace) for 3 days. After six weeks of fluency building begin to ask:
Who, What, Where, When, Why? (After they have read the card.)