Reading

REMEDIATION

• For any strategy or program to be effective they need to be structured, systematic and intense. A specialist teacher or tutor would be the best approach here if it is possible. The Foundation has a list of trained and recommended tutors if you wish to use them. Remember that any program is most effective when it is undertaken on a regular (4-5 days per week) basis for a limited time (15 -30 minutes).

• The following programs are recommended:

o    Alpha to Omega 6th edition by Hornsby, Shear & Pool 2007 Heinemann Educational. Similar to Hickey, but can be implemented more readily even if not a professional tutor, and the basis of the Wordshark computer program

o    The Hickey Multisensory Language Course (3rd edn) Edited by Augur and Briggs, Whurr Publishers, London 1999. A fundamental and successful approach for teaching all SLD children. Probably most suitable for professional tutors.

o    The Complete Phonic Handbook by Diana Hope. It would be useful if this book was systematically worked through with the student by a tutor in order to develop his/her knowledge of the mapping between sounds and letter patterns in words.

o    Phonics Handbook by Tom Nicholson, Whurr Publishers 2005. This book takes a phonological approach and is set out in the form of lesson plans designed to be used instantly, requiring no preparation.

• Knowledge of word families increases reading vocabulary by building on root words. This is useful for both spelling and reading. A new addition to the Resource Library is a series of workbooks called Word Families: High Interest Activities to Develop Reading Skills.

• Football Phonics card games are a fun way of learning about letter-to-sound associations (for reading and spelling) and can be borrowed from the DSF Resource Library.

• A good computer program developed by the British Dyslexia Association is WordShark. It focuses on the development of both reading and spelling skills using games involving phonics, onset and rime, homophones, spelling rules, common letter patterns, visual and auditory patterns and other aspects of literacy.

• Comprehensive Assessment of Reading Strategies (CARS) by Deborah Adcock provides explicit instruction and opportunities for practicing reading comprehension strategies. Strategies to Achieve Reading Success (STARS) also provides exercises to practice these skills within a wide range of genres. The books contain lessons and assessments that could be worked through at home or with a tutor, and are available at the DSF Resource Library.

STRATEGIES

• Prioritise your reading. Ask lecturers what it is most important to read.

• If possible, ask lecturers for reading lists before semester starts and being your reading early.

•  Work out how long you can comfortably read and understand before tiring. Break your reading up into chunks of an appropriate size so that your time is spent efficiently and so that you are not overwhelmed by the amount you have to read.

• Before you start reading, clarify why you are reading. Look in the index or at the headings and subheadings to find the section where your question is most likely to be answered. Write out the questions you want answered so you can keep them in mind as you read.

• Study pictures, diagrams and graphs for information about the material.

• It is a myth that good readers only need to read something once. At university level, most students need to reread complex books and papers, sometimes several times, to understand them well.

• If an article or passage is vital for understanding or learning, read slowly, carefully and reflectively until you fully understand it. Reread sections as necessary.

• Explaining what you have read or learned to someone else will help you clarify the gaps in your own understanding. If no-one is available, explaining to your budgie or teddy bear (even though there is no critical response) is sometimes enough to help you clarify what you do not know.

• It is not always necessary to read every word, sentence and paragraph. If you are reading for a general understanding, or to answer a specific question, be selective and read only the relevant or critical sections. The introductory and summary sections provide sufficient information for many purposes. Skim or omit other sections.

• To skim for main ideas:

o    Read titles carefully to find out what to expect.

o    Look at the headings and subheadings for clues about the main ideas being presented.

o    Words in italics or bold print are usually important terms or  definitions.

o    If ideas are repeated they are usually important.

o    In each paragraph the first sentence usually introduces the topic and the last sentence summarises the paragraph. Sometimes just reading the first and last sentences in each paragraph is sufficient.

• Underlining or highlighting key words, concepts or points can help you focus and understand.

• If you have trouble reading unfamiliar words, put time into learning critical words for each new topic so that these become automatic for you.