rdromick Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 My 15yo neice is struggling with reading and reading comprehension. Just wondering if there are recommendations on things i could do with her this summer to improve her skills, assuming she's willing. Would I do WWE? rr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 My online lessons are specifically designed for older students and adults (linked below in my signature.) Once the reading is fixed, the comprehension takes care of itself. For someone without access to a computer, I've found that all libraries where we've lived (and the military has sent us a lot of different places) have had free computers with headphones and internet access. I've been tutoring remedial students as a volunteer tutor since 1994. Currently with my adult students I use my lessons, Blend Phonics (just print it out without the title page announcing it's for first grade) and Webster's Speller from Don Potter, link right below for these free resources from Don: http://www.donpotter.net/education_pages/ My favorite programs for older adults besides the free things mentioned above are "We All Can Read" by James Williams, "Back on the Right Track Reading Lessons," and "Rx for Reading: Teach Them Phonics" by Ernest Christman. Here's my general tips for teaching a remedial student: http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Reading/remedialstudents.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 Spalding, if she'd let you. Her reading comprehension is poor because her foundation in phonics is poor. If she were amenable, she could bring her reading/spelling/comprehension skills up to grade level over the summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandamom Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 I agree. If her decoding skills are weak you will definitely need to remedy those first. Use a good phonics program to do that. To increase the comprehension: The next thing you'll do is have her read books at her level so they aren't too challenging to decode or understand. Read and read and read. Start where she is, not where she should be and as her fluency, decoding and comprehension increase get more difficult books. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdromick Posted April 28, 2009 Author Share Posted April 28, 2009 WOW. Y'all are awesome. I realize I'm not willing to put more work into this than her. I think I'll start by talking to my sis-in-law. I'm extremely puzzled that my neice has had trouble for years with no additional tutoring. I'm not sure what that's about, and I'm curious what obstacles I may encounter if I proceed. I feel a bit of pressure too, to do right by my neice if I do volunteer to help. If she doesn't improve with my help... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted April 28, 2009 Share Posted April 28, 2009 (edited) WOW. Y'all are awesome. I realize I'm not willing to put more work into this than her. I think I'll start by talking to my sis-in-law. I'm extremely puzzled that my neice has had trouble for years with no additional tutoring. I'm not sure what that's about, and I'm curious what obstacles I may encounter if I proceed. I feel a bit of pressure too, to do right by my neice if I do volunteer to help. If she doesn't improve with my help... It's really easy to do, actually. And, I've not yet found a student who didn't improve at least a grade level after I worked with them. My first 2 students took longer than I take now, but they still got good results, just not as fast as I am getting now! And, if you don't help, it's not going to get fixed on its own. It also makes a dramatic difference in their lives. 70% of those on welfare and in prison are poor readers, and earnings are more highly correlated with literacy levels than with IQ: http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Phonics/profitable.html Edited April 28, 2009 by ElizabethB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alegnab Posted April 28, 2009 Share Posted April 28, 2009 I think you should add in some narration for reading comprehension skills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdromick Posted April 28, 2009 Author Share Posted April 28, 2009 would you recommend doing the lesson daily over the summer? do you think i could not do spelling, just focus on phonics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdromick Posted April 28, 2009 Author Share Posted April 28, 2009 I think you should add in some narration for reading comprehension skills. agreed. I think to start, I'll have her read to me a bit. it should be telling... is she guessing on words? maybe even pull some things from WWE in terms of asking pertinent questions to assist with narration Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted April 28, 2009 Share Posted April 28, 2009 REWARDS by Sopris West is a good program for older kids that reviews phonics and gets them decoding multisyllabic words. There are 20 lessons--perfect for summer. My son's reading level increased by 5 years after using REWARDS. I would get the Secondary materials. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted April 28, 2009 Share Posted April 28, 2009 I'm extremely puzzled that my neice has had trouble for years with no additional tutoring. I'm not sure what that's about, and I'm curious what obstacles I may encounter if I proceed. We hear this kind of story all the time. Really. It's sad but true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted April 28, 2009 Share Posted April 28, 2009 would you recommend doing the lesson daily over the summer? do you think i could not do spelling, just focus on phonics? I've actually found that a little spelling work in conjunction with the phonics makes the phonics stick in the brain better. If you do mostly oral spelling, it will hardly add any time to your phonics lesson. Here are more instructions about how to teach a remedial student to read: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76393 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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