Are you looking for hacks to help students learn to identify grade level words? If so, keep reading.
1. Utilize a research-based handwriting method when teaching sounds by hearing, writing, and saying. This eliminates many potential reversal problems.
2. Utilize lower grade-level texts as alternative reading content in subject areas.
3. Outline reading content for the student using words and phrases on their reading level.
4. Let students use the smartboard so that teaching and learning become active. The student hears, writes, and sees the sounds in isolation.
5. Select a peer tutor to study with the student for exams, tests, etc.
6. Utilize a highlight marker to find keywords and phrases for the student. These words and phrases become the student’s sight-word vocabulary.
7. Select a peer tutor to practice sight words with the student to reinforce concepts learned.
8. Teach the student to use related learning experience s in their classes (e.g., filmstrips, movies, recordings, demonstrations, discussions, videotapes, lectures, etc.). Urge teachers to give an assortment of learning experience s for the student to enable learning grade-level sight words.
9. Teach the student to use context clues to find words and phrases they do not know.
10. Teach the student to use context clues to find sight words they are learning.
11. Utilize a sight-word vocabulary approach to teach the student keywords (e.g., circle, underline, match, etc.) and phrases when reading directions and instructions.
12. Get the student to practice vocabulary words from required reading content by writing the words while saying the sounds.
13. Utilize reading sequence content with high interest materials (e.g., adventure, romance, mystery, sports, etc.) and low vocabulary.
14. Get the student to find words and phrases that they do not recognize. Make these words the student’s list of words to be learned.
15. Create a list of words and phrases from the student’s reading content that they will not recognize (e.g., have the science teacher find the words the student will not know in the following week’s task). These words and phrases will become the student’s list of reading words for the next week.
16. Consider using AI to teach reading comprehension.
17. Consider using Alexa to teach reading skills.
18. Try using one of our many apps designed to teach literacy skills and help students with reading issues:
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The Tech Edvocate’s List of 24 Literacy Apps, Tools & Resources