Catching Up, On Her Own Terms

Background

A 10 year old, two years behind her class in reading, who had started avoiding books altogether after repeated frustration at school.

Goals

Rebuilding a willingness to try reading at all, before worrying about catching up to grade level.

Approach

Lessons built entirely around her own interests, starting with material she actually wanted to read, and only gradually increasing difficulty.

Outcome

Reading confidence and willingness to try new material both increased noticeably within a single term, well ahead of any formal grade level target.

Reflection

Sometimes the fastest way to close a gap is to stop measuring the gap for a while, and rebuild the relationship with learning first.