Learning Disabilities and the
K-12 Reluctant Reader:
Motivating Johnny to Read
Mary M. Silgals, MLIS
Who are these reluctant readers?
Children who are intelligent and interested
in reading,
but don't read well;
Who 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;
Who 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;
Majority of our students
Children who are dealing with
specific learning problems
that impede their ability,
and willingness, to read
The 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?
The Answer
• Know the students, know the books, and
seek creative ways to connect the two.
Strategies
1.
2.
3.
4.
Get to know your reader
Select materials that excite
Involve parents
Choose creative activities
1. 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
Know 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. ?
Know 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
Answer to: “I don’t know what
I like to read”
• Introduce them to the genres
• SCASL – State lists such as the Book
Award Nominees (See handouts)
Discus: What Should I Read Next?
2. Give them a choice!
Series –
For many children, collecting, borrowing
and reading series books is cool.
Recognizing an author and his/her style
Comic Books/Graphic Novels
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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
Audio Books
• “The road to becoming a reader begins
with listening to stories read aloud”
• YALSA Selected Audio Books
• ALA Notable Children’s Recordings
Assistive technology
• Reading Pens
http://www.quick-pen.com/readingpenbasic.shtml
• Kurzweil Reading and Writing
http://www.kurzweiledu.com/files/K3000%20V10
%20Datasheet.ƒ.pdf
• TextHelp Read and Write Gold
http://www.texthelp.com/webfiles/US%20RWG8
1WinFlyerFinal_030807.pdf
Give 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
Give 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)
Give them a choice!
• Heaven forbid you give them a classic to
read!!!!
• Adapted classics
– Pearson Globe
Give them a choice!
• Poetry, plays, prose, chat-style books, short
stories, essays -- give them a book that they
didn’t 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.
Give them a choice!
• Banned books - Participate in the ALA banned book week. This year
was September 29–October 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
– Gulliver’s Travels
– Canterbury Tales
– Scarlet Letter
– Leaves of Grass
Give them something different!
• Reading A-Z (interactive books on websites –
subscription/samples free) http://www.readingaz.com/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
High Interest/Low Level Books
• See Handouts
3. 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
Parental 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.
Parental Involvement
• Special occasions and gift giving
– Bean bag chair
– Boxed book set of a series
– Bookmark that reflects child’s interest
– Word of the day calendar
– Fun reading lamp (flashlight)
– Activity books
4. 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
Teachers involvement
• READ the books! – Booktalk!
• Don’t get stuck in the 60’s!
Try something new!
– Podcasts
– Writing reviews
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Amazon
Teen read web site
School paper
School web site or discussion board
– Book Clubs
Teacher involvement
• Poetry
– Read aloud and audio
• Variables
– Three Little Pigs
– Cinderella
– Little Red Riding Hood
Topics young students love
• See Handout
Choose Creative Activities
• Participate in a D.E.A.R. Day
Puppets
• Let the puppet read. It’s the puppet’s
mistake if it mispronounces a word.
Author 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.
Flat Stanley
Incentives
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Baseball cap with badges
Posters with student’s photo
Pencils
Wrist bands
Check out incentive catalogs
Strategies
1.
2.
3.
4.
Get to know your reader
Select materials that excite
Involve parents
Choose creative activities