From Challenges To Champs: 4 Steps To Create Reader Leaders
Are you creating reader leaders in your classroom? It can sometimes be difficult to understand how students struggling with reading
when reading is mandated or the skills appear to be taught with fidelity. The reality is sometime reading concepts may be hard to grasp
for some of your students when it is taught. This when you have to employ other measures to help your students learn to be
readers. You know that the Science of Reading says that in order for reading instruction to be effective, your students must be
introduced to reading concept early and often to increase reading outcomes. If you teach reading, hats off to you because as you know
creating reader leaders is no small task. Stick around to learn more about four steps to create reader leaders and three tips to use right
now.
1. Develop Foundation
Your students must develop a strong foundation in reading. Introducing phonemic awareness concepts provide your students
with the basics skills for creating readers. Your students must learn the importance of letter and sound relationship in building their
capacity for understanding the mechanics of reading. Learning how to decode words is essential to the process. Developing a solid
foundation will increase your students’ skill level. What is necessary to achieve reading success is consistency and a real plan that you
can stick to.
2. Focused Instruction
Instruction must be intentional as it is done early and often to make an impact. Intensive instruction will set your students on a path for
continued growth even if it is small, all growth is important.You can help your students become comfortable with reading concepts
through practice. Focus on the essential phonemic awareness skills using core instruction. As you reinforce your instructional practice,
your students will become more comfortable with the familiarity of the daily routine you use to infuse those reading concepts.
3. Expand Learning
When your students begin to expand their vocabulary and spelling, it will create a bridge for connecting those reading concepts.
Building vocabulary and spelling will go long way towards helping your students to become fluent readers. As vocabulary
and spelling is introduced, your students will begin to understand word patterns. But it is important that your students not forget to
apply those phonics rules, which will become more automatic as they make sense of words.The incorporation of word study activities
really do help your students become more comprehensive thinkers. You and I know, that as your students become fluent, they become
more confident.
4. Integrate Intervention
While preventing reading difficulties is the goal. When those difficulties begin to appear, it is important to start with some form of
intervention. Intervention when it is done early can help your students who have moved beyond the Response To Intervention (RTI)
tier one level and need more support. As your students struggle or become at risk of falling behind, it is important to pen point where
they are experiencing the difficulty and to begin to apply intervention strategies to close those gaps. In order to make gains
with reading difficulties, you know that monitoring progress is important. Progress monitoring should be done regularly. Because
improving reading outcomes is important to the intervention process
Final Thoughts
The Science of Reading has shown that in order for reading instruction to be effective. Your students must be introduced to reading
concept early and often to increase reading outcomes. By developing a solid foundation your students’ skill levels should increase.
Instruction must be intentional as it is done early and often to make an impact. Building vocabulary and spelling through word study
help your students become comprehensive thinkers. When intervention is needed progress monitoring should be consistent while you
employ intervention strategies that should reduce the likelihood of your students falling behind.
Here Are Three Tips To Keep In Mind:
· Model Good Reading Habits – Demonstrate enthusiasm for reading by sharing your favorite books with your students so they see you excited about reading.
· Provide Diverse Reading Materials – Offer a wide variety of reading materials for different interests and abilities that include books, magazines, graphic novels, audiobooks, and eBooks.
· Foster a Culture of Reading – Create a classroom environment that values and celebrates reading by making time for book clubs, independent reading, or literature circles.
