A remedial student needs to be continually reassured that they are not stupid, they are smart; their troubles are the fault of the method used to teach them to read, not anything they have done. The podcast series "Sold a Story" explains what is happening with these methods and why they persist.
An older remedial student may also benefit from the ideas on our Teens and Adults page, even if they are not yet a teen.
Getting Back to the Basics of Phonics
To support your student’s progress, you must keep them focused on sounding out each word from left to right. Balanced literacy approaches and sight word based methods often lead to guessing, which can be a difficult habit to break. By using nonsense words and word lists, you can help eliminate this habit. Our free syllables lessons and the book We All Can Read are specifically designed for remedial students, incorporating nonsense words to reinforce phonics.
Other helpful resources include Back on the Right Track reading lessons and Toe by Toe, both of which are excellent for older remedial learners. For reinforcing phonics fundamentals and fluency, Don Potter's Natural Phonics Primer: A Universal Safety Net for Literacy is also highly recommended. Don Potter has a Natural Phonics Primer website to help you get the most out of this method.
Our volunteers have found that providing 40L’s letter sound charts to students helped them learn sound spelling patterns. They are organized in sound order to help with phonemic awareness. After a few times guiding students in looking up the sounds, the students were able to independently use them on their own.
Handwriting
Equally important is ensuring that your student can write all their letters clearly. Have them write the words they are learning, which strengthens the connection between the shapes of the letters and their sounds. If your student struggles with handwriting, Don Potter offers a handwriting page that can provide valuable support. Another good handwriting resource is the Iowa Reading Research Center’s LIFTER tool. It includes video instruction.
Syllables
Phonics instruction must be structured properly. First, teach the sounds of letters and letter combinations. Next, ensure your student learns to blend them from left to right. An often overlooked but vital component of phonics is teaching syllables—a practice used in the 1700s and 1800s. Noah Webster’s method, explained in Webster's Way, shows how syllables were once used to teach both reading and spelling effectively.
Our free Syllables Spell Success lessons harness the power of syllables and have been effective for hundreds of 40L’s students. To take an older remedial student to the highest reading level, you can follow these lessons with all the 2+ syllable words in Webster’s Speller. Don Potter developed a free PDF of Webster’s Speller, or, you can get his helpful version as a book.
Morphology
You can supercharge your student’s reading progress by combining phonics with morphology. Not only does morphology deepen vocabulary knowledge, but it also reveals the fascinating history behind words, making learning more engaging.
Our morphology page offers free ideas and resources to get started. Marcia Henry’s book “Words“ masterfully integrates spelling, decoding, and morphology, providing a comprehensive approach that will accelerate your student’s literacy skills and keep them motivated.
Spelling
In addition to reading, proper spelling reinforces phonics skills. Our online spelling lessons can offer further support, and our spelling page contains phonetic strategies to strengthen your student’s spelling abilities. Introducing them to dictionaries and teaching alphabetical order (as explained in our Phonics Lesson 30) also builds independence and confidence.
Phonics Games
Games are an excellent tool for reinforcing phonics through repetition. They should ideally be used after traditional lessons to extend learning opportunities. A well-designed game can offer surprisingly extensive educational benefits. See our phonics game page for free and inexpensive game ideas. There are also free games and lessons for reinforcing phonics basics from The University of Florida Literacy Institute, UFLI’s toolbox.
Building Fluency Through Accuracy: The Path to Lifelong Reading Success
Above all, remind your student that accuracy is more important than speed. Encourage them to focus on reading each sound from left to right, emphasizing that slow, careful reading is better than rushing and guessing. Accuracy will lead to fluency in time with consistent, mindful practice.
Remember, every small victory brings them closer to mastery. Celebrate their progress, no matter how incremental, and reassure them that learning to read well is not just possible but within their grasp. With the right tools and methods, they are building a foundation for lifelong success, one step at a time.
With the power of phonics, your student holds the key to unlock their full potential and succeed beyond what they imagine. 40L volunteers have witnessed firsthand the transformative effect with their students. With these strategies, your student can also experience this success.
