According to results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, 40 percent of Missouri fourth graders are reading below grade level and 70 percent do not read at the proficient level. Clearly, there is a problem and it is heartbreaking that many children are not being taught the basic reading skills they need to succeed.
The two main approaches to teaching reading
Most classrooms in Missouri currently use a balanced literacy approach that does not work for all learners. In a balanced literacy approach, phonics skills are not so much explicitly taught but rather sprinkled in and the use of context clues to guess at words is encouraged. Instruction is focused on guided reading, shared reading, and independent reading. Leveled readers are used during instruction.
Some children learn better with a more structured approach to reading. A structured literacy approach uses explicit phonics instruction in a scientifically researched and systematic way. The use of multi-sensory methods is also encouraged. Decodable readers are used during instruction.
Of course, there is a lot of debate and much more is involved with these two approaches. I am just giving you a brief overview. The good news is I have training in both approaches along with many years of experience. This helps me to develop an individualized plan tailored to your child’s specific reading needs.
The problem is the approach not the child
A regular education teacher once told me that a student she had referred for special education in my class was “un-teachable.” I knew the child was not the problem but the problem was the approach the teacher was using. I evaluated the student and developed an individualized plan to help him improve his reading. Not only did this child begin to improve his reading but he also caught on very quickly and began to thrive. It was so wonderful to see his self-confidence grow and it was very gratifying to report his reading progress to that regular education teacher. I hope she learned that no child is “un-teachable.” A teacher’s job is to think outside the proverbial box, not to put the child in it.