Helping a 2nd Grade Student Read Chapter Books at Home

Amelia’s parents first reached out to me at the end of first grade. They reported that she was reluctant to read aloud to them at home and that she was receiving help from the school reading teacher.

Amelia started working with me in the fall of second grade. We quickly connected. I personalized her materials by purchasing her a custom sticker book to use after each lesson. I make sure to include her favorite word game each week as extra motivation to practice review patterns.

Amelia receives classroom instruction, extra help in a small group setting at school, and private tutoring from me. Fortunately, Amelia’s reading teacher at school uses the Orton-Gillingham method, too. Yet for many children small group work at school is not targeted enough or individualized enough for them to make ambitious gains and close the gap. By adding on private tutoring Amelia gets personalized lessons each week that are paced for her particular needs.

From September to December Amelia’s oral reading fluency score went from 24 words per minute to 55 words per minute. Not only is she improving but she is improving at an ambitious rate and will be able to close the gap between her and her peers.

In a recent session with Amelia she was eager to tell me about the chapter books she started reading at home. She likes spending time flipping through books after we meet to gather more books at home to read throughout the week. She even hopes to come to tutoring on her birthday.