Developing Reading and Writing in Struggling Readers

This short article explains the creative LEA approach, and adds an adaptation for slightly more proficient readers.

The child tells/dictates an experience or short story (it could be a phrase, sentence or even a whole short story that they want to share). The adult writes it down and uses the composition as a text to be read. This ensures that the reading text only uses language which the child already knows and it's an excellent approach as long as the child is not able to parrot the story back from memory. If this is the case, the tutor should let the story go stale in memory until the child can not 'read' it entirely from memory. This is called the Language Experience Approach (LEA) and it is used with very, very basic readers. Reading teachers should really know or learn how to use this approach. It's hard to write as fast as they talk but its' worth it because this is a reading instruction technique that also helps them to begin to develop and order their thoughts cogently before they would otherwise be able to do so. It is, effectively, composition work with the limitations of low reading and handwriting removed.

Adapted approach for slightly more proficient readers

An adaptation of this approach can be used with slightly more proficient readers as well. Inviting a student to organize their understanding of a text or lesson which they audibly experienced, teaches them to properly group and structure their thoughts and to express them in a logical and orderly manner. If writing skills are still somewhat poor, this approach would still allow the student to develop these important skills which generally are only exercised in writing. When writing finally reaches acceptable levels, then the student will already have mastered proper composition skills, allowing them to catch up rapidly.