All Info About Reading

For some children, the road to reading is rocky and bumpy. They have difficulty enjoying books, and sometimes their reading skills simply do not keep pace with those of their peers. It can be a real challenge to help these students, because they often feel stuck reading lower level material than their peers. They are reluctant to read “baby books” because they feel stupid. While their agemates are enjoying exciting stories about adventures in far off places and tales of daring-do, less able readers may be stranded in the land of Dr. Seuss and controlled vocabulary text. This doesn’t have to be so any more!

A reading disability or poor reading skill is no reason to keep a student away from classic literature. Like everyone, these students want and need to be exposed to the great books and stories we have in our libraries. A thorough knowledge and background that includes these stories will help students be better prepared for high school, college and life. There are many times and places where familiarity with stories such as Pinochio and Black Beard is assumed, and students will quickly become lost or feel inferior if they cannot keep up with references to these pieces.

Now, readers of any age can enjoy some of the greatest literary classics of all time. Even some students who struggle with reading will be able to read and enjoy classic tales in Scholastic’s Junior Classic series. With titles like Gulliver’s Travels and Dr. Doolittle, there’s something here for everyone. The reading level on these paraphrased versions is between grades three and five, so most struggling readers will be able to give them a try with just a bit of preparation. Help your reader to choose an interesting title, preview difficult vocabulary, give a list of questions to encourage reading with a purpose. Just a small amount of guidance and collaborative reading will send your student on his or her way through some great books.

If your child or student is a reluctant or remedial reader, you will want to check out this great series from Scholastic Books. Titles available include The Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, Robin Hood, Dr. Doolittle, Robinson Crusoe, Wind in the Willows, Jungle Book, Gulliver’s Stories, and Heidi. Want to check the books out more closely? Here are some links to my favorites:

*****************************
Return to the Remediation section

Return to All Info About Reading Home

Contact Me

© 2006 Sandra Fleming