For so many of our kids, the challenge of reading and writing is truly “a bear”. Now, with the whole Common Core movement impacting today’s schools, it’s all about reading and writing. So good kids, smart kids, engaged kids, but those with reading and/or writing challenges, look the bear in the face everyday, as well as all day, for the primary focus within public schools is responding to PE, art, health, music, and math within the context of reading and writing. “The Common Core asks students to read stories and literature, as well as more complex texts that provide facts and background knowledge in areas such as science and social studies. Students will be challenged and asked questions that push them to refer back to what they’ve read. This stresses critical-thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills that are required for success in college, career, and life” [http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/]. In layman’s terms, our children are expected to read more, and write more all across the curriculum; never getting a break from the one dimensional approach preparing them for “college, career, and life”. All in all, our kids are expected to grin and bear it for it’s touted as in their best interest to do so; every day and in most cases, all day. Without a break.
However, due to the complexity of the human learning process and brain development, especially, within the context of reading and writing, simple canned solutions and one-size-fits-all formulas fail to meet the needs of all of our students; especially those who have struggled in traditional school settings with reading and/or writing due to misalignment between learning styles and instructional approaches. For many of the students who struggle with literacy related skills, it’s not just about a learning disability alone, it often is a reflection of a disconnect between a child’s pre-reading experiences and learning & teaching for the nature of effective instructional practices in reading and writing are well established. One of our nation’s leading experts in reading disabilities, Dr. Joseph Torgeson from Florida State University, makes for the following statement: “The most critical elements of an effective program for the prevention of reading disability at the elementary school level are: The right kind and quality of instruction delivered with the right level of intensity and duration to the right children at the right time.” [http://www.readingrockets.org/article/catch-them-they-fall-identification-and-assessment-prevent-reading-failure-young-children]. Most notably, the notion of “the right kind and quality of instruction” guides teachers and parents to consider an individualized approach to reading and writing intervention first and foremost. This is most important to consider when addressing both IEP and 504 Plan intervention in support of both reading and writing. While many of my clients, whose children struggle with dyslexia (reading), dysgraphia (writing), or other literacy related learning disabilities, ask for alternative instructional strategies in alignment with their children’s learning style, they are often approached with the following reply, “We are already implementing a best practice program”. This implies that if your child is not successful with the program, then, it must be the child where the problem lies for the program is good as gold; ” evidence-based”. So what do you do in this situation?
The intention of an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or a Section 504 Plan (accomodations) calls upon each school to employ an individualized approach toward intervention, as with reading, writing, or any other area of the special needs continuum. However, this is not always the case. In fact, within the context of reading and writing, many students face learning challenges in these areas due to the formulaic approach being prescribed in contrast to a multi-dimensional approach. This is where our advocacy services come in. We are here to assure that the instructional team works from the perspective of understanding and assessment, whether the issues are Autism, ADD/ADHD, or specifically, reading and writing disabilities. No matter how vital the national agenda called Common Core plays out, every child is different and requires an individualized approach toward intervention. Specifically, when we are addressing reading and writing disabilities, especially for our older students beyond 3rd grade, the most effective interventions are based upon a multi-facet intervention including a three prong approach highlighted by reading experts Smith and Moore: “This research tends to emphasize three areas of instruction: 1) word study, fluency, and vocabulary, 2) comprehension, and 3) motivation and engagement. It shows that when research-based reading instruction is implemented, older youth with LD [learning disabilities] can succeed.” [http://www.ngsp.net/Portals/0/Downloads/HBNETDownloads/EDG_SpEd_Moore_Smith.pdf]. Most notably within research by conducted by Smith and Moore, as well as others addressing reading and writing disabilities, especially within secondary intervention programs, the notion of “meaning and engagement” become even more critical within reading and writing instructional intervention. So I go back to the opening line, for some of our students, reading and writing is a bear! And to make a difference and engage our older students, meaning continues to be the most critical feature of an effective program.
So I am suggesting the following as one way to make a positive stride for our kids who struggle with reading and/or writing, especially, students from 3rd grade and older: The New 3 Rs: Relationship, Relevance, and Response
Relationship: Kids who are struggling with reading and writing need to establish a relationship with their teacher as well as with the text they are reading. Their hearts need to be engaged to assure the best of themselves. Many of our kids today need to feel a deep sense of connection before they can trust and let go of their worries and fears often getting in the way of learning. When students struggle with reading and writing, students may create intense negative attachments to these skill areas and bring this to the classroom every time they see a book or a pen. Effective teachers create a learning atmosphere based upon heart-felt relationships and take time to know their students first and foremost. For many of our students who struggle, they will give it a go and take risks when they feel cared for, appreciated, and liked as students. I know this sounds so simple, and unrelated to literacy, however, when you are asking kids to challenge their set in stone beliefs, especially when self-talk sounds like “I am bad at reading”, “I hate writing”, or “I suck at this”, it takes an emotional over-ride such as an endearing relationship built upon trust and encouragement to push beyond these emotional walls.
Relevance: Secondly, as far as reading and writing skill development, the purpose of each needs to be guided by meaning; today’s kids need to know why they are doing something for many have a need to feel personal buy-in or clearly understand the reasons associated with the learning. Compliance doesn’t hold it’s value anymore; it’s all about meaning and building connections to the text or the process. If the text doesn’t have meaning, then you won’t have their attention down this path. It’s that simple. Think of it this way: If it isn’t fun, then it won’t get done! Of course, not everything needs to be presented as a walk in the park, or a trip to Disneyland, but then again, for kids to make true connections with skill sets, especially within reading and writing, they need to believe in the purpose and the intent underlying instruction. Another way to look at it sounds like this: There needs to be an intrinsic sense of yearning for kids to be able to experience learning! One way to do this is to build upon the interests of the students. By presenting reading and writing activities based upon their outside hobbies, one creates a meaningful bridge to learning. For example, there are many young children who would take to reading if Thomas the Train was the source of text material. Also, many older students would be attracted to reading or writing if it had connections to Minecraft or other gaming material.
Response: Finally, as teachers and parents, we need to assure our kids are engaged within the learning process. By slowing the instructional process down with intentional goal setting and learning targets, we are assured that the kids feel personally responsible for their learning as we establish personal goals with each student. As a result, when kids feel they are in integral part of the process and celebrate their progress, in contrast to being dragged through the mill as unwilling victims of instruction, the level of learning increases significantly. Specifically, by establishing reading and writing learning targets with both immediate as well as long term time periods, our kids will clearly know what is expected as well as what the consequence of their efforts results in; they need to know WHAT is expected as well as HOW and WHY the learning will unfold. For many of our kids struggling with reading and writing, there is a total disconnect with the instruction and learning process and often, they feel left out at the instructional train station as each lesson seems to pass on by. As a result, there becomes a disengagement and eventually, a sense of self-talk stating, “I can’t do this”. By establishing both short and long term learning targets for each student, students will be able to see their progress and feel more involved in the process. As a side note, rewards go far in this process in partnership with goal-attainment for reinforcement through reward may be the extra-added value some of our kids require to feel more engaged in this process. Sample learning targets may include: I can …
read words more quickly by increasing my fluency rate / speed of reading from 80 words per minute to 100
recall more sight words from lists by reading them on flashcards nine out of ten times
write a sentence with the subject (who) and predicate (what) eight out of ten times
In a nutshell, reading and writing, like any other set of skills in the academic tool kit, require meaningful engagement for learning to take place. Whether it be through relationship, meaning to the text and task, as well as a personal sense of responsibility to the process, it’s a matter of slowing the process down to the point where every child FEELS a deep sense of connection to the reading and writing experience. By creating shifts within the emotional meaning associated with each by moving from “reading, writing, and bears … oh my!” as a fear-based process to a heart-felt connection reflecting “reading, writing,and bears … oh boy!”, our kids will look forward to the experiences associated with these two essential life skills. It takes something much simpler than “best practice” materials and curriculum guides to make this connection. And the Common Core is not really common anymore when so many students are disengaged from learning as a result of a one-size-fits-all program. Let’s give the old school 3 Rs a fresh look through the new school 3Rs: Relationship, Relevance, and Response.