How to Create a Simple and Effective Learning Plan for Your Older Struggling Reader

Some families have told me they need reading help over the summer school break. Their reader is going from daily support to no support. Others have said they have older readers who are so unmotivated to read over the school summer break, they don’t know what to do!!

My suggestion has been to create a lesson plan. WAIT… hear me out! 

Creating a learning plan isn't some big, scary, teacher-y thing. A family I recently worked with summed it up perfectly: "Learning plans are like a schedule, a planner, a checklist. They can be short, like for a 20-30 minute period, or extensive, weekly, monthly, yearly."

A daily lesson plan for your struggling reader shouldn't be big and scary. Thirty minutes is a great daily goal. Can you squeeze that in somewhere, at least three days a week? 99.9% of the families I work with would tell you, yes, you can.

The next step? Make it consistent, direct, and easy. Don’t reinvent the wheel or push forward too quickly. There are a lot of online programs that promise reading success. Those programs are too many strategies for mass readers, not YOUR reader.

My advice?

Consistency is key. Focus on the RIGHT steps. Slow and steady wins the race (just ask the hare and the tortoise!)

Summer break reading practice, or any practice for that matter, which doesn’t have the guidance of an expert, specialist, or teacher can be about solidifying skills and repetition of strategies the reader has already been taught or already uses.

Focus on 3 reading “things”...

For example, you can focus on trick high-frequency words or reviewing sounds. You may not have assessments and specialists helping you right now, so use what you have. Look at a book your reader has. What paperwork are they filling out this summer? Pick words from there to make flashcards. Less is more.

A 20 minute lesson plan might look like this:

• 5 minutes of sound review
• 5 minutes of trick word cards
• 10 minutes strategy practice.

A good model to follow is: I do, we do, you do.

If your older reader continues to struggle or push back, ask your older reader these questions, or have them reflect on them…

• What has worked for me (you) in the past?
• What have I (you) learned that might be relevant here?
• What’s the root or core of this situation or challenge?
• What is one tool that I have high confidence will work, that is easy to implement?

They have reading tools inside them, ready to be used, but they may not realize or remember…

Summer reading practice for the older struggling reader should absolutely continue. And, it can be quick and easy!

If you want help, I’ll explain how to create and use an effective lesson plan framework that integrates seamlessly into your day without adding extra work or stress for your struggling reader in my FREE workshop.

JOIN MY FREE READING WORKSHOP