Ch. 7 - Reading Comprehension

I remembered from my diversity class that students from disadvantaged backgrounds may struggle in reading.  These students may not have books at home nor the means to get books.  They may not have parents that can/do read to them for various reasons.  I currently have a student that has never been to the county library.  He does not have books at his home.  I have spoken to his mother numerous times, and she tells me how she works nights, sleeps all day, and there is no money for books.  This student loves going to the library at school, so I suggested to her that maybe she could take him to the county library every few weeks.  He gets to go extra times as a reward now in class.  He currently is reading on a DRA level 12 (he's a third grader reading on a kindergarten level).  I require him to read the story that the class is reading, answer the story hunt questions, and take the same basal tests.  He has been tested for any LD, but tests just below the norm.  He doesn't qualify for ANY assisstance.  His MAP score was also just below the norm, so I can't send him for RtI (we have a cut-off score that determines who goes to this).  He is in my below-level reading group.  He is provided vocabulary cards, comprehension questions daily, and the opportunity to read silently and orally each day.  He has failed reading both nine weeks.  I struggle and am frustrated that he can receive no help.  Because of all this, I have to have him read the basal and take the same tests as everyone else.  He receives no accommodations.  In my lower reading group, we do use graphic organizers and concept maps.  I have found that this helps all of my students in retelling or summarizing a story.  In guided reading, we are currently reading a biography on Thomas Jefferson.  I gave each student a sentence strip, and they are making a timeline of Jefferson's life.  When we finish the book, I will have each student use the timeline to write a summary on his life.  In my reading groups, I will write 2 -3  questions on a white board for students to be thinking about while they are reading.  When they finish reading the pages for the day, we will discuss these questions.

I worry about my below-grade-level readers constantly.  How am I supposed to expect a student to comprehend third grade material if he is reading on a kindergarten level?  Not only does he not understand the stories we read from our novel units and basal, but he struggles with words from social studies and science.  He doesn't qualify for any help, so I am to expect him to "get it" like the other students on grade level.  My school does not have any reading programs to help third through fifth graders.  I have had several meetings with administration and our school psychologist about this student.  So far, I am just to continue as we are with him failing every subject.

I am not trained in any kind of reading assistance.  In this chapter, I think the SAIL Program would help my below-level students.  I am going to speak to our resource teacher about it to see if she could give me some assistance on implementing it (or some form of it) in my classroom.  I need to find out more about this program to make sure it would not interfere with guided reading instruction.  I will continue using story maps with all students.  I know that these help all of my students even if I have to help the lower readers complete theirs.