High School Remedial Reading

[smithmt]

Ok, so I am a theatre teacher who has "lucked" into a reading class of high schoolers on a 2nd-5th grade reading level. I have no experience with teaching reading. I recently administered the Flynt & Cooter Informal Reading Inventory to find where they are. I've been doing dittos for a while and I don't have any idea where to go. I have no resources except what I can find, which as a theatre teacher, I'm used to begging, borrowing and stealing, but I'm out of my league...
ideas?
-Matt

[jsfowler]

I would go to the library and allow them to choose magazines that they are interested in. Choose articles out of the magazine and read them aloud together. Ask comprehension questions, etc. As time goes on, give them more and more independence until they are eventually reading and answering questions on their own.

[MissTeach]

You can find many articles online, also short stories. If you have access to the computer lab, allow the students to find their own reading selections.

[Boxcar]

You might also try having them bring in favorite books from childhood. The library can also be used for this. The students may enjoy reading stories they remember from years ago. You can still ask comprehension questions and all that. Mix one or two of these books with a harder assignment every so often. It will make the class seem less challengeing.

[smithmt]

You can find many articles online, also short stories. If you have access to the computer lab, allow the students to find their own reading selections.

Unfortunately, the computer labs have been removed due to some grant to give the students computers... as of Tuesday the computers have been confiscated while they are sifted through looking for illegal use (drugs, sex, etc) they're not expected to be reissued to students until next fall... so the computer class has turned pretty dull. Each classroom (except mine of course) has one desktop that has restricted access. but otherwise it's a great idea.

[MissTeach]

I have used articles from magazines such as Sports Illustrated, Seventeen, and etc. Sometimes I would have the students summarize what they read by either writing or telling a partner. Also, I would have the students hold debates by taking sides after reading an article. Another thing I would do is let the students draw pictures about what they read or make a poster explaining what they read. Also, if you can find some short stories by Edgar Alan Poe, you might try using those. My high school students always like his stories. I found his stories in a simplified version that we would read first and then we would read the original.

Hope some of these ideas will help you to come up with some ideas of your own. Since you are a theatre teacher, you might use some of your scripts for the students to read aloud. Good Luck!

[sgaestel]

Bring some theatre into it! I also teach theatre, and English classes. I have found that even my lowest level readers LOVE reading interesting plays!
I had low level readers last year understanding Romeo and Juliet by having them act it out in modern language and situation.
Allow them to read the play together, and have them to rewrite and such.
Also, the suggestions about reading things they want to read is a great one. Take some trips to the school library, and require they check out a book. You can even go through the library and put some on reserve that you think are more suited to their reading levels. When the students have the chance to pick out something they want to read, they generally will read it. I was surprised at how many student friendly books we had in our school library. We now have a new librarian who is student friendly and encourages students to be in there and reading, and I am shocked at the number of students who are checking out books!