Introduction

Teaching Together, In Isolation:

A place for teachers working remotely to gain tools to better support elementary school students who struggle with literacy skills

Teaching remotely has been a challenge for many educators, especially when it comes to teaching reading and writing--specifically teaching students who struggle in those areas. Every classroom has students who have difficulties with reading, on varying levels. There are an incredible amount of resources and methods that have been established over the years for educators to use to help these struggling students when working face-to-face. However, these instructional strategies do not all easily transfer to the new world of remote learning we currently find ourselves in. 

It is more important than ever for educators to support struggling readers. It has been noted that "struggling readers have a long history of being held in place with limited trajectories in achievement gains" (Morrow & Gambrell, 2019, p. 113). Teachers are the frontline for students, as they ensure that all of their students have access to the resources they need. "Classroom teachers have control over the process (e.g., how we plan for an instruct students, how we establish the learning environment) and the products (i.e., assessments of learning) (Morrow & Gambrell, 2019, p. 115). Given the differences between learning in a physical classroom and learning online, teachers are faced with the task of adjusting instruction.  

So, what's a teacher who is dedicated to helping struggling readers to do? Some things remain the same. For one, "Specific instruction for struggling readers should implement instruction and planning carefully with the reading/literacy specialists" (Morrow & Gambrell, 2019, p. 115). Teachers can and should use all of the outside support that is available to them: reading specialists, paraprofessionals, special education teachers, and other special services staff. 

Secondly, it is important that students have ample "Time during the day (i.e., at school and home) to engage in multiple literacy activities during and across the year, including summers, is fundamental to the depth and breadth of reading growth and development" (Morrow & Gambrell, 2019, p. 112). This can still be done when students are "working from home", teachers just need to rethink their methods and consider how to engage their students from afar. 

Furthermore, teachers can pivot their small group and one-to-one lessons to online learning. "Additional instruction provided for small groups and individuals is significantly more effective than instruction for large groups; and when compared, individual instruction is associated with greater acceleration than instruction for small groups" (Morrow & Gambrell, 2019, p. 114). Remote learning actually gives teachers even more ability to work with students in small groups and one on one, via Google Hangouts, Zoom, etc. 

There are a number of strategies that teachers can employ to ensure that their struggling readers are receiving the guidance and tools they need to be successful. The following posts will review five strategies that can be used relating to phonics, fluency, motivation and engagement, main idea and recalling key elements of a story, and assessment.