Three Types of Struggling Readers with Three Different Solutions

Three Types of Struggling Readers with Three Different Solutions

There are three types of Struggling Readers (Wolf, 1999).  Learning about each type, will help you understand and instruct your Struggling Reader more effectively.

1. Struggling Readers with Phonological Processing Challenges

A Struggling Reader in this category has difficulties with phonological awareness and/or phonological processing.  Simply stated, this student has difficulties recognizing, blending and segmenting sounds without letters.  For example:

·        Blending sounds together can be slow and laborious

·        Segmenting (pulling apart) sounds is difficult

·        Patterns and sounds in words are not often recognized  (rhyming,
        categorizing)
SOLUTION:  Cognitive training focusing on Working Memory.  Our working memory stores phonological information (auditory) and letter patterns (visual) long enough for students to work with the information.  Here is a model of Working Memory created for a workshop.

2. Struggling Readers with Rapid Naming Challenges

A Struggling Reader in this category usually has the ability to read words fairly accurately, but is painfully slow.   Naming speed skills are critical for fluency and achieving comprehension.

·        Often has difficulty “thinking up” the word

·        Has many stops, starts and hesitations while reading  

·        Becomes easily tired when reading…reading is hard work!

SOLUTION:  Cognitive training focusing on Processing Speed and Scanning
Skills.  Processing speed can be improved!  Scanning skills and details are 
critical for reading quickly

3.  Struggling Readers with both Phonological and Rapid Naming

    Challenges

A Struggling Reader is this category has BOTH phonological and rapid naming challenges.

* Difficulty understanding sounds with and without letters

* Is inaccurate and slow when reading

* Is easily exhausted when reading short passages

* Has poor comprehension

Many Struggling Readers with phonological and rapid naming challenges have poor comprehension because of their lack of fluent reading ability (Wolf, 2007).  Research indicates that fluent (smooth, effortless, automatic) readers comprehend reading passages accurately, however less fluent readers must focus their attention primarily on decoding and retrieval of individual words. Therefore, they have little attention or effort left for comprehension.

SOLUTION:  Cognitive training focusing on Working Memory, Processing Speed and Scanning Skills.

Listen to one of our grateful moms:  

“My child was very behind when he started first grade and in a matter of a few short months, Ms. Carleen has him reading and more focused! He is also less apt to frustration or anger. Not only am I grateful for Ms. Carleen, but even my kids also say that they are thankful for her.” ~Joelle P

Carleen M. Paul owns Skills for Success Learning, an online educational company providing students with the latest services in Educational Neuroscience. She can be reached at 951.858.1643 or SkillsForSuccessLearning.com