Repeated reading instruction for students with learning disabilities

¶ … Repeated Reading Instruction a Powerful and Effective Alternative Teaching Strategy for Students with Learning Disabilities?

This paper discusses how repeated reading instruction is a powerful and effective alternative for teaching reading to students with learning disabilities. When asked about reasonable adaptations that teachers can make to support learning from instructional materials, some of the most frequently cited adaptations are those involving peer support such as cooperative learning groups, student pairing. Studies show that students like working in small groups or being paired with a partner and appreciate it when teachers provide structure in teaching students how to work together and learn from each other. Teachers have utilized the phonics reading method and incorporated the Whole Language technique, but there are many educators in support of using the repeated reading technique as the favored instruction for students who have various learning disabilities.

It is the function of reading instruction to teach students to read and comprehend properly in a safe, warm, and nurturing learning environment while learning to decode, recognize and comprehend the written language. There are many methods of teaching reading and while a teacher may use ideas from several methodologies, usually one theory is applied more frequently than another one. Educators have combined the use of phonics and whole language to create a "balanced program" but while this concept is still used at some level in the classroom, the teacher incorporates their own preference into the instruction of the curriculum. However, repeated reading is the recommended method for teaching students with learning disabilities.

Review of Literature

Teaching reading and methods of teaching reading has been the subject of various opinions throughout the years. While reading appears to be a fairly easy and a natural thing to do, it is actually a complex processes and is anything but natural. In fact, it does not develop incidentally; it requires human intervention and context (Fitzsimmons, 1998). The act of reading is complex and develops intentionally while requiring the bringing together a number of complex actions involving the eyes, the brain, and the psychology of the mind. Students with learning problems generally have average or above average intelligence, however, they have problems performing at the same academic level as their peers. One of the weaker areas is reading with significant deficits often present in memory and metacognition.

The three methods currently explored here are each effective when used properly. While some teachers may integrate each method in various ways for different students or abilities, all three methods teach beginning reading skills to young readers and the teacher must determine which strategy to use for each student. Students have different learning styles, but Kelly (1997) points that children need to learn phonetic sound while Raven (1997) explains that the "analytic and auditory students," benefit from phonics instruction. Students with "visual, tactile and global learning styles" will benefit from the whole language approach.

Cromwell (1997) explains that children who do well in whole-language programs tend to have visual, tactile, and global reading styles. These students are usually classifies as global learners and usually enjoy the opportunity to learn from the popular literature. They also are successful when using manipulatives in lessons and participating in cooperative learning situations. However, if a student is an analytic learner, the whole language approach is an uncomfortable learning style. Cromwell maintains that "if the systematic teaching of phonics doesn't take place, analytic learners can fall behind and fail to develop the tools they need for decoding words."

There are sometimes limitations to teaching reading. One approach to teaching reading may not always work for all students. Therefore, the teacher must be aware of various learning styles and research methods that fit the needs of the student so that successful academic learning takes place. After assessing the situation, the teacher may need to use strategies from different approaches in order to be successful.

Comparative Analysis of the Three Reading Methods

Many educators feel that phonics is the key for teaching early reading skills to children. They maintain that young students should learn the sounds for each letter and the rules that accompany many so they may become independent readers where they sound out unfamiliar words. While teaching phonics is still an important concept, one must also understand that the whole language approach is an exciting and interesting method designed to include all subjects when teaching reading. Students learn about science, social studies, and math while participating in their language arts lesson. There are also many supporters of the Balanced Program that combine teaching phonics in the whole language classroom environment.

However, it is still important to understand the need to teach learning disabled students using the repeated reading method. Repeated reading can also take place within groups or in pairs. They can participate in group activities such as choral readings and feel successful, while also being allowed continuous reading practice that is guided by the teacher. The teacher can use books with large pictures and words that can be seen by the whole group, posters, or overhead transparencies for repeated readings within groups. Schumm (1999) states that numerous studies have documented the impact of repeated reading in improving reading fluency, word recognition accuracy and play a significant role in improving reading comprehension. While classroom instruction is vital to the development of reading skills in young students, one must not overlook the need for a literature rich home environment. Children will engage in more reading and writing activities in print-rich environments (Slegers, 1996). While the teacher can provide many enjoyable books to read at school, parents can become active in developing their child's love of reading at an early age by providing wonderful literature.