I’ve always said that working with a struggling reader {or even reluctant reader} can feel like you’re trying to solve a puzzle. It may feel like you’re missing the overall picture or even like you’re missing over half the pieces. It can be frustrating for the struggling reader AND you.
Today, I’m excited to share 12 incredible resources for struggling readers that will at least give you a few pieces to that puzzle.
*This post contains affiliate links.
Included in the resources are articles and resources to encourage parents or teachers of struggling readers. These resources cover help with dyslexia, book selection for struggling readers, helping motivate readers, the importance of spelling instruction, and tons of practical, hands-on activities you can try with your struggling readers. Enjoy!
1. 1o Things Struggling Readers Need– This 10-part series was written from my perspective as a classroom teacher and private reading tutor, working with multiple struggling readers.It covers topics such as book selection (especially for upper elementary, struggling readers), giving readers time to read, and supporting readers.
2. High Interest, Low Readability Books is a list of books that struggling readers will WANT to read. Often, struggling readers complain that the books on their level are baby-ish. Here is a list of books that are higher interest, but on a lower reading level. Perfect for struggling readers!
3. Pinterest- Don’t underestimate the “power” and organization of Pinterest. Even if you don’t have an account, you can still check out these boards, which are filled with hands-on, practical ideas and activities for struggling readers. While I have MANY more boards on reading, these four boards come to mind first. (Click on each image to view the resources from each board.)
Follow This Reading Mama’s board Struggling Readers on Pinterest.
Follow This Reading Mama’s board Word Study/Phonics on Pinterest. Follow This Reading Mama’s board Sight Words on Pinterest. Follow This Reading Mama’s board Hands-On Spelling Ideas on Pinterest.
4. Quick Tips for Struggling Reader – a 10 week series of quick tips if you teach struggling readers. We address things like motivation, fluency, comprehension, sight words, vocabulary, phonics, and spelling. Some weeks even have printables, like the Ultimate List of FREE Phonics Activities!
-
- Short Vowel Word Study
5. Spelling Apps– Go paperless with these spelling apps! Spelling is highly related to teaching kids to read. If we are teaching spelling in a hap-hazard way, with random word lists that aren’t related by spelling patterns, the English language will not make sense to them {or us}.
Instead of studying a bunch of phonics rules, I highly recommend teaching word patterns, such as ai, ee, or au. I’ve been excited to develop some apps, Alphabet Sounds, Short Vowel Word Study App and Long Vowel Word Study App, that help kids play with word patterns.
Our newest one, Alphabetic Spellers, is perfect if you’re teaching beginning readers to multiple learners. These apps are based on the word study approach of Words Their Way.
6. All About Learning– All About Learning includes both All About Reading and All About Spelling. This curricula was created with struggling readers in mind, even dyslexic learners. The curriculum is flexible, solid, and easy to follow, with TONS of helps for parents/teachers {even if you’ve never taught a child to read/spell.} You can read our review of All About Reading, Level 3.
7. Multi-Sensory Teaching– A few years ago I had SO much fun putting together a 5-day series on teaching reading in a multi-sensory way. There are over 100 resources for getting your kids involved using their 5 senses with letters, rhyming, reading, and comprehension.
8. Book Love by Melissa Taylor– If you’ve ever heard your child say, “I hate to read,” or “I can’t read,” this book is for you! Many struggling readers are also reluctant readers and Book Love has lots of practical advice for helping your child grow a love for reading.
9. What Do We Do All Day? book lists– Erica has a way with book lists and if you’re struggling with finding texts for your struggling reader, check out her amazing book lists!
10. The Struggling Reader– I had the privilege of meeting William and Kristen Eckenwiler three years ago and fell in love with their amazing resources for struggling readers. She even blessed so many moms by writing a guest post on my blog. You can check out their website and resources at The Struggling Reader.
11. 10-Week Reading Comprehension Series- There are two main parts to reading: 1-reading/saying the words {decoding} and 2- comprehending {understanding}. A struggling reader might be able to say all the words correctly, but not interact with that text in any way. Questions about what they read are usually met with, “I don’t know,” or “I don’t remember.” This 10-week series was meant to give you specific lessons on the different comprehension strategies. You can even find book lists to go along with each strategy.
12. Three Skills Kids Need for Reading– Many times, struggling readers are missing the foundations of reading: rhyming, syllables, and phonemes. Read more about each one in this 7-day series and how you can “play” with these basic skills to build a stronger reader.
BONUS Resource: Be sure to check out Snap! Learning. Snap! Learning is a guided reading program that I’ve been privileged to use {with my 3rd grader}. It features printable and digital books, fiction and nonfiction, for struggling readers with TONS of support, especially in the area of comprehension. You can read our review of Snap! Learning, request a FREE trial or visit their site.
Enjoy teaching!
~Becky
This is a great page! Good job, I wish I found something like is when my daughter was younger.
Thank you for this excellent article with its large collections of great resources to help parents and teachers of children who struggle to read!
Thanks again for your very good article and list here, This Reading Mama! You always have the most practical and helpful posts here!
Your boards will come in handy for me to come up with something new as a Paws 2 Read therapy team (going to libraries to encourage young children reading to therapy animals) for struggling readers.
Awesome! 🙂
Thanks for the list. Students might also benefit from audio and leveled readers (typically designed for ELLs but motivating and of benefit for struggling readers needing to read extensively. Two sites I’ve built might hit a chord with teachers – http://www.englishcentral.com (takes video and provides phonemic awareness and opportunity to read aloud in a safe environment) and http://book.giflingua.com (takes gifs and provides fun books all leveled with study quizzes and TTS).
I enjoyed this article immensely. This is a topic near and dear to this mama’s heart. As a homeschool mom and former special education teacher, I totally understand the struggling reader.
Hi Becky,
I was looking through some of your awesome blog posts, and I came across a question that a reader had. I never did get to read your answer. Here is the question: As a reading specialist, I will be helping the fifth grade teachers administer a one-minute ORF assessment to the students that scored below grade level on the STAR. Should these students read/test on a beginning of 5th grade passage to determine their initial fluency ability, or if a student scored a 3.5 should that student read a passage at a middle of 3rd grade level
I’m not sure I’m qualified to answer that question because I don’t know much about the assessments that your school uses. Maybe that’s something you need to talk to your principal about. Most assessments (like End of Grade tests) test students at the grade level they are supposed to be on. I wish instead tests would test them at their level of development, but I can’t make that call for your school. Sorry.
I agree with you! Thanks Becky!
First Aid for Readers: Help before, during, and after reading
This is a great strategies book for middle grade and up which is available also in ebook form.