1. B-5 Reaching & Teaching Reluctant
Readers in the Urban Classroom
Katherine McKnight, Ph.D.
Katherine.McKnight@nl.edu

2. What do we know about
our students’ reading?
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3. What do we know about readers?
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0
20
40
60
80
100
Grade 4 Grade 8 Grade 12
At or Above Proficient on 2002 NAEP Reading
White
Black
Hispanic
Grigg, W.S., Daane, M.C., Jin, Y., & Campbell, J.R. (2003). The nation’s report card: Reading 2002. Jessup, MD:
Education Publications Center.

4. Students Most At Risk
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0
20
40
60
80
100
Grade 4 Grade 8 Grade 12
Below Basic on 2002 NAEP Reading
White
Black
Hispanic
Grigg, W.S., Daane, M.C., Jin, Y., & Campbell, J.R. (2003). The nation’s report card: Reading 2002.
Jessup, MD: Education Publications Center.

5. Components of Reading
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Alphabetics: understanding and using the sounds that
make up words (phonem ic awareness) and the letters that
correspond to those sounds (decoding) and be ing able to
relate the letters and sounds to the particular words they
represent (word recognition)
Fluency: identifying words accurately inan effortless
manner and be ing ab le to read them in text with appropriate
intonation, stress and ph rasing
Vocabulary: knowing and u nderstanding the meanings of
words and using them with flexibility and precision
Comprehension: the process and product of constructing
meaning from what is read, involving an interaction between
a reader and a text, for a purpose and within a context

6. The difference between
struggling and reluctant readers
• Motivating our students to actually read
• Creating choice and gathering engaging
resources.
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7. Let’s Look at Strategies
• Getting Books in the Hands of Kids
• Differentiated Instruction in Reading
• Multimodal Learning
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8. Hints for Struggling Readers
• Provide readers who struggle to decode with
opportunities to hear the text read aloud (tape
assist)
• Give readers for whom word recognition is a
problem supplemental materials that include
visual clues to word meaning (or use
manipulatives in math)
• Allot additional time for readers who struggle to
complete assignments
• Encourage struggling readers to use the internet
because often the symbols and icons that are
quite bothersome to good readers provide a
means for struggling readers to construct
meaning
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9. Reading and Recreational Reading
• “Reading ability is positively correlated with
the extent to which students read
recreationally.” -National Center for
Education Statistics.
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10. Activity
• Have you now or have you ever been a
reluctant reader?
• What is your reading autobiography?
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11. Why don’t kids read?
• By the time that kids reach middle school and
high school, reluctant readers often:
– Equate reading with failure
– Connect reading to school-related tasks
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12. Before Reading Activity
Think Aloud
• Using sticky notes, demonstrate how readers
use the “voice in his head” to:
– ask questions
– comment on the reading
– make predictions
– make personal connections
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13. Get Books in the Hands of Kids!
• Books that attract reluctant readers include:
– A catchy cover
– Print size is larger
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14. Get Books in the Hands of Kids!
• Books that attract reluctant readers include:
– Artwork is exciting and resembles the “real world”.
– Writing is not composed of longer convoluted
sentences: more straightforward.
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15. Get Books in the Hands of Kids!
• Books that attract reluctant readers include:
– Acceptable literary quality.
– High Interest “hook” within the first 10-15 pages.
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16. Books that attract
reluctant readers include:
• Interesting characters
• Not too many characters
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17. Books that attract
reluctant readers include:
• Plot sustains interest
• Plot is developed through events and
dialogue.
• Limits lengthy narration.
• Themes that are appealing to teenagers.
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18. Reluctant Readers Like Books that:
• Present role models.
• Demonstrate problem solving in
action.
• Allow to feel like
winners/overcoming odds.
• Display relationships of all sorts.
• Capture intensity and
uncertainty of their life.
• Help develop of socially
responsible behavior
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19. Reluctant Readers Like Books with…
• Single Point of View
• Graphic Novels
• Comic Books
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20. Helping Reluctant Readers Now
• Library Card
• Talking about books
• Talking about books in the classroom and in
the school building
• Contests
• Allowing for Student Choice
• Keep current about books
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