1. Motivating Reluctant Readers
Rob Waring
Featured Speaker Talk
PANSig Okinawa
May 2106

7. What is a ‘reluctant reader?’
Someone who may exhibit these traits:
reads because they have to
reads things they may not want to
often have issues with self-esteem
often attribute their difficulties to external factors - too much noise, poor vision, unfairness, text too small etc.
rarely acknowledge their lack of ability
often have a sense of helplessness
often have been frustrated for years and have become skilled evaders and hiders who act up to avoid reading

8. Solution: Get out of their way
Often we teach or make them study too much
The more we leave them alone, the more they will learn
Focus on the LOOOOONG goal
The main focus should be to create life-long readers
Don’t worry about this week’s successes and failures
Don’t do anything that will hurt reading confidence, motivation and self-esteem as a reader

9. Solution: Build confidence
Reading within their ability level at first, and increase the challenge over time
Build off successful reading achievements
Discuss and share problems (reading blogs??) so they don’t feel alone
Find out what makes students anxious before, when and after reading
Train them to expand their comfort zone

10. Solution: Help them READ
Lots of reading - a wide variety of materials
Easy interesting materials
Re-reading is ok, reading to them aloud is ok
Read for general understanding not to learn language
Train them to ignore unknown words and go back only if communication breaks down
Make a relaxed atmosphere so they enjoy the reading
Flexible approach

11. Solution: They set and monitor their goals
Rather than impose reading amounts get them to set them.
Some research show students often suggest more reading than the teacher does
Reading goals can differ by student even within a class – as the goals should be personal
Do this within the context of assessment of their whole class – or the lazy ones will say ‘none’

12. Solution: Make it more than just reading
Connect the story to them in some way
Maybe they prefer listening?
Find the reason why. Busy? Reading problems?
Have a scavenger hunt for information
Create your own story
Make reading a reward not a punishment
Sit with them as the read to find out their reading problems
Read what they are reading
Get them hooked on a series not a book
Let them give book talks

13. Solution: Make it about them
They discuss how they read, what they do
Ensure the texts are ones they want to read
Select texts they want to read
Give a questionnaire to find out what they like
Much easier to find interesting materials
But … ensure it’s the right level for them
Find things other than graded readers
Magazines, brochures, comics, TV guides, manuals, newspapers
Connect to them from their world view

21. Solution: Build Fluency
It helps students to move from the word-by-word level of reading to the ‘idea-level’ of reading
It helps build eye-span so students see more text in one eye movement and thus can process more text
It allows us to save time for other things
They read faster so they will get feelings of accomplishment sooner.

22. Solution: Add a challenge
Challenge them to read about a difficult topic
Reading races and competitions,
Gamification – use of game-like features
Stars, buttons, points,
Competitive tasks
Leader boards
Set high reading goals
Speed
Amount
A little outside their comfort zone

23. Solution: Make it aural
Let them listen to the texts
Make it into a serial
Copy the images only. Students order the pictures
Read, listen, read, listen
Podcasts, online listening
Give them a different goal each time
Let them find errors
Listen for background sounds, tone, voice
Listen and compare understanding after a chapter

24. Solution: Extend the reading
They research one aspect of the story e.g. farm life in 19th century England and make a presentation about it
Students read a famous classic story and research the author and the history behind the story and why it is famous
Make a profile of the characters – clothes, habits etc. and they think of someone like that

25. Solution: Create communities
Buddy Reading
Allow students to write comments or leave  faces in the books after they read
Students help build a reading lounge or library with displays
Let them choose the books for the library
Reading Circles – make groups of 4-5 and assign different roles to each one.

26. Solution: Bring their world into the classroom
Build your own library
They find something they want to read
They translate any words or phrases they don’t know on the article
They bring it to class and explain the text
The partner reads the texts and translates anything they don’t know
All texts go into a box – students choose 2 to read at home
Repeat every week

27. Motivating reluctant readers
When working with reluctant readers teachers should:
-prepare structured lessons – class readers
-allow less freedom as perceived complexity can confuse
-cover less content – don’t make it feel like ‘study’
-more rewards for effort
-continuously reward achievement
-create an environment for them to meet their achievable goals
-make the reading relevant to them so they can engage
-allow them to choose shorter achievable texts
-acknowledge their resistance
-discuss with them why they are being asked to read
-assign partners to guide them – help them to share
-focus on building a culture of success not failure
-not punish failure

28. Signs of a struggling reader
1. They ask you to read something for them
2. They ask you how to spell a word
3. They come up with excuses not to read
4. They read word by word
5. They can't answer questions about what they just read
6. They don't make comments when they are reading
7. They skip words
8. They slur words when reading and hope that you don't notice
9. They keep asking you the meaning of words
10. They read as fast and they can

29. Principles of speed reading
Speed reading is only one part of developing the reading skill
The focus should be speed, not to other things (e.g. trying to learn new vocabulary).
The reading should be easy - very few unknown vocabulary.
Comprehension should be tested, or reading quickly without understanding is pointless.
general understanding rather than detailed knowledge
not important to get all the questions right
should aim for 70-80% when doing speed reading.

30. Principles of speed reading II
Reading should be timed accurately. The score should also be kept.
Students should not use their fingers or pens to trace words as this encourages slow word-by-word reading.
An aim is to build reading confidence. So teacher encouragement and feedback is important. Students should not expect instant gains in speed.
Setting reading speed goals and keeping reading speed scores can help focus the learners.
A little often is better than a lot infrequently. The skill should be built continually.
Speed reading should be isolated from other activities so the focus is clear.
Don’t read aloud. Try not to read aloud in your head (sub-vocalization). It slows reading to the speed you can talk.
Don’t try to build reading speed too quickly. Some studies have shown long term negative effects.

31. Speed reading methods
Read a given text once and record the speed. Keep measuring speed over time.
Re-read a passage 10/15/20% faster.
Read for (say) 5 minutes. Mark the spot on the page. Re-read from the start and try to beat the previous mark.
Skip information that may not be relevant. Scan ahead to find things that may not need reading.
Card speed reading. Put a piece of paper or card across the page above where you are reading and drag it down as you move down the page. This prevents re-reading.
Hop reading. Scan a block of text, then skip to the next block of text and scan that.
Ask someone to move their finger down the page slightly ahead of where you are. Aim to follow the finger.

32. Speed reading tips
Put the reading in the center of your line of vision not at an angle.
Raise your speed slow till you still feel comfortable – like learning to drive faster.
Remember that when you practice speed reading, your aim is to read faster, not to enjoy the reading. Focus clearly on building speed while retaining comprehension.
Scan ahead before reading, look at the cover, headings, photos, glossaries, table of contents and key sentences to help set the context.
In some texts the beginning and ending sentences often carry to most important messages so read those a little slower than the middle.
Don’t assume that you can read all types of reading at the same speed. School texts books should probably be read more slowly and carefully – as with legal documents.