On my grade level team, I teach the students who are below the benchmark. I don’t teach them all day, just during small group time. I have an aide and also a Special Education inclusion teacher in my room during that time, so the kids get lots of support, which they need.
With my lowest group, they need lots and lots of practice blending sounds, reading sight words, and fluently reading sentences. We read guided reading books, close reading passages, and reader’s theaters. These kids are in 2nd grade and have been struggling readers for three years now. They can only read my low-level books so many times, you know? To mix things up and practice the skills they need, we also play games.
We all know about memory or around the world with sight words on index cards. Those games are easy (index cards and markers are all that’s needed) and the kids love them. But, I like to switch things up, keep the kids on their toes, and also practice some various skills before reading our text for the day.
Their favorite game we play is slinkies!