Teaching Reading to Special Education Students

Teaching Reading to Special Education Students l Miss Rae's Room Special Education Teaching Blog

Some of our students are reading over two years below grade level!  This is not only shocking, but can also seem like a daunting task!

​So how do we ever get these students to grade level?
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TEACHING STRATEGY: Readers Who Read Significantly Below Grade Level l Miss Rae's Room

We have to create comprehensive guided reading lesson plans.

First, assess your students.  Determine their lagging skills.  

Students usually fall into two categories for what is holding them back in reading.

The first group are those that struggle with decoding (sounding words out).  The second are the students who are unable to summarize, retell, or answer questions about a text.  This is the comprehension group.

If your students are struggling with decoding, use a phonics skill lesson plan for short targeted practice.  If your students are struggling with comprehension, use a comprehension skill and strategy lesson alongside your guided reading lesson.  If students are lagging in both areas, use a daily or weekly integrated plan to target both areas simultaneously.

Students who are typically reading significantly below grade level require an integrated approach to reading, targeting both areas:  phonics and comprehension.

Comprehensive guided reading lesson plans should incorporate:

-extensive teacher-student interaction,

-multisensory learning methods,

-all components of reading:  decoding (single word accuracy/automaticity), comprehension, vocabulary, sight word, fluency, plus + encoding,

-special emphasis upon mastery of foundational reading skills and...

-independent application of comprehension strategies to help ALL students access the general education curriculum!
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Check out some Comprehensive guided reading lesson plans!
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TEACHING STRATEGY: Readers Who Read Significantly Below Grade Level l Miss Rae's Room

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Online Graduate Level Professional Development Courses l Teaching Special Education Reading l The Learning Tree Professional Development Network, LLC l www.TLTPDN.com