Teaching at-risk students to read: The Camp Sharigan method.

Abstract

Research shows that extrinsic motivators actually discourage children from reading; children read only long enough to get the prize and then they stop. With intrinsic, hands-on motivators, children read because they are excited about reading. They may be reading for the puppet show, around the campfire, as actors who listen carefully in order to act out the motions of a story, or as the authors of their very own pop-up books. Reading becomes fun, but first, we must teach children how to read. This is the fifth book in a series about group-centered prevention. Each of the first three program design books gives step-by-step directions telling how to design a group-centered prevention program, but I am frequently asked, WHY. This book, which focuses on the Camp Sharigan program, examines why I developed and designed the program as I did. My hope is that, as I explain the purpose of the different interventions used in Camp Sharigan, such explanations will help you to be more effective in using the Camp Sharigan program and also help you design your own programs. My overall purpose in designing the Camp Sharigan program was to help children learn to read and enjoy reading. Reading is a life skill that each and every child needs. However, since each child learns differently, we often need to teach children in different ways. Camp Sharigan offers six different teaching methods to help children learn to read. Research has proven that the Camp Sharigan program is an effective method for teaching at-risk students how to read, but Camp Sharigan will only be effective if you understand how to use the program. This book focuses on why. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved)