A: Many disabled readers labor over text in a word-by-word fashion and consequently have difficulty understanding what they read. This problem is often attributed to their inability to focus attention simultaneously on decoding and comprehending the message. However, this undesirable outcome can be alleviated through repeated readings by an adult and a child together. By having children reread a passage until fluency is achieved, their attention can be focused on comprehension, and improved understanding will result.
The method of repeated readings (MRR) requires children to reread a short, meaningful passage several times until a satisfactory level of fluency is reached (Samuels 1979). The procedure is then repeated with a new passage. In a similar fashion children can listen to tape-recorded stories, follow along in the text, rehearse and reread the story until oral fluency is reached. The function of repeated readings is to provide the practice needed to make decoding automatic, which then enables the reader to concentrate on comprehension.
Q: Does the type of instruction make a difference for children with problems?
A: Instruction does make a difference, especially for at-risk children. Comprehension of written material is generally recognized as the ultimate goal of reading. Although there have been strong differences of opinion concerning how best to reach that goal, there is now increasing evidence that efficient utilization of the alphabet principle (phonics) lays the groundwork for comprehension of text and is, thus, the primary task for beginning readers in alphabetic systems.
It appears that one important meaningful strategy for at-risk learners is for them to know that there is a reasonable association between the sound and the spelling of words. When they add the realization to the general concept that written text makes sense, has meaning, they can often overcome reading problems.
Q: What should I do if my child reads slowly and stumbles frequently while reading aloud?
A: The development of fluency in beginning readers is a gradual process that often starts with word-by-word reading, pointing to words, and reading aloud to oneself. (1) disfluent oral readers may need to point as they read: (2) reading in groups should be oral for beginning readers: (3) reading rate is a reliable and easily obtained indicator of fluency and is closely related to reading accuracy.
The problem with a beginning reader who stumbles may not be comprehension, but rather one of verbal planning. She is usually too busy reading words to plan for the next phrase or sentence. Have your child reread sentences and think ahead so her reading sounds like normal conversation.
Q: My child simply stops reading when she comes to a word she doesn't know. Is there a way that I can help her use context to get the meaning of those unknown words?
A:
Q: What should I do when my child guesses at words? He seems to try for meaning, but the words he comes up with don't sound like the actual word and often change the meaning of the text.
A: There are two important issues in your question. First, you say that your child tries to find a word that gives him meaning. That's good. Encourage him to do just that. Trying for meaning should be the first purpose in word recognition.
Second, your child's weakness seems to be in his inadequate use of phonics cues. When he makes these wild guesses, write out the word that he has pronounced. Then ask him if his word looks like the word in the book. Direct his attention to the first part of the word in the book and let him try for a word that begins with the beginning sounds.
By regularly asking your child to confirm his original guess with the sound patterns that appear in the actual word, you will gradually cause him to pay attention to the phonics cues which he now seems to be ignoring. If you have additional questions regarding any of these matters, submit them to the AskERIC service, at askeric@askeric.org.
Return to the Table of Contents