[abcd1234]

Help! I have a third grader reading at a beginning first grade level. I am working on getting her tested, which is a long process. What modifications can you suggest I do for her in the mean time? Especially when it comes to weekly tests/quizzes.

[misswalton]

I have a few who are at that level and are in third grade. Here's what I do for them:

I use a few different strategies throughout the week to help with their comprehension and skills...

*Listen to book on CD
*Buddy read 1st thing in the morning instead of morning work or AR
*Use book during test
*Test read to them
*Can use highlighter tape (found at Staples... AMAZING STUFF) to help go back and find answers
*Record self reading story out loud and then listening to it during the week
*Graphic organizers and story maps
*Lots of questioning
*Small groups during reading

[starrysky]

I read the reading test and word problems on math to my low student....

for homework in math I only have him do the front of the page

have students do the easier part of the assignment....cross out the more difficult

use starfall website (it teaches reading)

give easy reading comprehension homework,

[Mindfull]

I have been battling with this since school started. I have two students that read at a 1.8 and 1.9 level. O comprehension, and one is failing all of his spelling tests.
We give twenty words. 14 are regular words from our curr. but the other 6 are just common words they use every day in reading and writing. The 6 are extra credit so it can only help them if they get some right.
that is a lot of extra work for someone who has made it to 3rd grade and never been tested for learning disabilities. I am also in the LOOOOOONNNNNNGGGG process of having him assessed for academics and behavior.
Maybe in May it will happen.
In the meanwhile, should I be dumbing down the curr for him. His grades will show he is making it at a 3rd grade level but he is not being held to the expectatins of 3rd grade.
I have started reading his tests to him and the other student. They can't handle the 3rd grade level demands.
I feel guilty either way. this should not happen, yet everyday I see it more and more. I just moved from middle school to 3rd and I see the same behaviors, and lack of academic skills. I have thought about making their spelling test shorter, and the vocabulary easier and I do read the comprehension part to them, because they can't read the story for the open book part of the test.
I have several students that still consistantly write several letters and numbers backwards. Talk about a hard thing to change. Hopefully with cursive being taught, in a step by step manner, they will learn the correct strokes and hand positions.

[starrysky]

Well it's important to expose ALL kids to the gradelevel material.....onlevel material, however you might differentiate/modify/provide more support within that curriculum.....

it's also good to provide a little bit of some easier work/modifications when work is too difficult etc.

perhaps try giving the child half of the spelling words....and after that easier spelling words.....

[lancermom]

spelling-In this situation I have given students fewer words.

For papers that have multiple choice questions, I have crossed out 1 and even 2 choices. I also read the questions. For open ended, I have read the questions, discussed it with the child and then have them tell me what to write.

These children do take up so much time--which I don't mind giving, but it does take away from what you can do with other students.

I agree, I am also seeing this more and more.

[dee]

I feel your pain. More importantly, I feel your kid's pain!

Go ahead and shorten assignments. It takes them waaay longer to do then since they have to try and decode everything. They can even have separate lists at their level so they may even remember what they've learned. There is no reason why they can't have oral tests, too.

What has worked well is what a pp posted- orally have everything on grade level with the story on CD, read-alongs, etc. Whatever skill you are working on, they can work on, too. Reader's Workshop is wonderful for this. If kids have their own reading level book to work on, they can still work on the skill you're teaching such as main idea, cause/effect, main character, etc.

So basically, anything written should be at their instructional reading level, grade level materials should be oral. That way they are getting the grade level curriculum (at least exposed) but still actually learning.

Don't forget to document all these accommodations/modifications for when the time does finally come.

[abcd1234]

Thanks for all of the great suggestions! I can't wait to put them in action.