Category Archives: Content Area Reading

ADHD + Reading = YIKES!

 Almost 50% of students with ADHD experience difficulties with reading. A school-related chore?  An unwanted job?  Getting teens and young adults with ADHD to read is an unpleasant activity.  Motivating them to read might be avoided with all costs, but it will pay off in the end. Try creativity. Think of reading as a social […]

“Just sound it out.” “Say what?” Reading 101 for teens and young adults with ADHD

Decoding is the letter-sound relation used to pronounce written words. It’s also what some might call reading. By improving skills, readers develop the ability to recognize words quickly and identify words they haven’t seen before. There is an ongoing contention regarding decoding interventions. Some focus on translating print into speech by rapidly matching letters. Others […]

Common Core Reading for HS students? Yes, indeed.

The English Language Arts standard has 2 components: Literature and Informational Texts. They work in tandem, defining college and career readiness expectations. Guidelines are integrated by grade levels (9/10, 11/12). Informational Texts Cite strong and thorough evidence to support analysis of what the text explicitly says. Determine the meaning of words and phrases using context […]

Do teens and young adults with learning disabilities and ADHD snooze while reading? Wake ’em up with active reading.

Active reading is a catalyst for critical thinking skills.  It improves problem solving as well.  It can be combined with notetaking strategies, improving retention and understanding of conceptual knowledge. Before reading strategies Ask “What is the topic?” Identify what you already know about the topic. Define unfamiliar words. During reading strategies Find the main idea/theme. […]

Reading for HS and college kids with learning disabilities and ADHD? It’s content area reading.

So what on Earth is content area reading and why is it important to more advanced students?  Instead of relying on theme, this reading takes place in “content classes” like math, science, and social studies.  Non-fiction in nature, it focuses on collecting, understanding, and interpreting information. Content area reading strategies in math: Break words down […]