How Can We Help Students Who are Considered At-Risk Develop Better Reading Habits?
• Learn Reading Skills-First and foremost the child has to learn the skills involved in reading. Without these skills no amount of encouragement is going to help, because the child cannot engage in reading if they do not have the skills. That means that a child should be able to read aloud a passage appropriate to their age or grade level at the same rate at which they carry on a conversation. If they cannot do so, then there is something on that page that is holding them back. We need to fix that first. • Encourage Reading-Once the child can read, they can be encouraged by having interesting books around. A library card becomes a ticket to the universe. Seeing others read and sharing reading also helps. Being read to can be fun, but it doesn’t help the listener to become a better reader. Lots of poor readers manipulate their teachers and parents to do their reading for them. • Reading Times-Set aside quiet times for reading. Have a special chair or couch where the child can read witho
