How to Help Your Struggling Readers

In any classroom, there is a range in students’ abilities. I find that especially in kindergarten, students come in at totally different levels. This year alone, I have a student reading at a third grade level and a student not yet reading, let alone recognizing all the letters in the alphabet. Then, there are the students in between.

Luckily, we teach reading using guided reading, a small group instructional strategy. This teaching tactic makes it so we can reach more students at their own level. When I have students who are so far on either spectrum, I meet with them individually. It makes no sense trying to lump them together with the closest level to them because they’d either be way lost or way bored.

In this post, I want to talk to you about reaching those students who are struggling in reading. These are some ideas of how you can work with your lowest group during guided reading or small group time.

Ideas for How to Help Your Struggling Readers

Whole Body Alphabet

Students use their entire arm to make the letter in the air. While they’re making it, they say the name of the letter once out loud. After they make the letter in the air and start to get to know the letter, they can say the sound as well.

Zoophonics

This is a phonics program that I use bits and pieces of. What I really like is that there is an animal name for each letter that correlates with the letter sound. There is also a movement that goes along with the animal name. For example, Allie Alligator (A) says “a” and opens and closes her mouth. So students get used to doing the movement while saying the letter sound. Good for kinesthetic learners!

Beginning and Ending Sound Clip Cards

These clip cards are a good way to practice beginning and ending sounds. I use these as a warm up during our guided reading time. We do 5 – 10 cards at a time. Once I notice students mastering beginning sounds, we transition to ending sounds (a much harder concept for kindergarteners).

Letter Sounds Magnet Activity

This can also be used as a warm up. Students put the page on a cookie sheet and put magnet letters on top of what the word begins with.

Letter or Sight Word Kapow

Kapow is always a student favorite! The way you play is one student starts by pulling out a popsicle stick. They read the letter or sight word that’s on it and if they get it right, they keep it. They keep pulling sticks until they get one wrong. If they get it wrong then they put back the stick they got wrong and it’s the next persons turn.  If they’re pulling sticks and they pull a Kapow stick (stick that says Kapow on it), they have to put all their popsicle sticks back into the bucket! The game goes until all the sticks are gone or you’re out of time.

These are some of the ways I help my students who are struggling in reading. What are your favorite ways to reach your struggling readers? Comment below!