The Book Buddies program pairs an at-risk child between Kindergarten and second grade with an older child. The buddies will select books to read to each other from an approved list of library books. The pair will then plan activities related to the text to complete together. This not only works on the literacy skills of both students, but also on social skills that at-risk students often lack. The children will look forward to the reading time because it shifts the focus off of the learning task, and onto the shared project.
Set children up in teams according to their ability level. Make sure that each grouping has both advanced and at-risk students. At-risk students feel more successful when able to accomplish a task without the assistance of an adult, and are reinforced when they are able to help another student succeed. Setting up cooperative learning opportunities between stronger and weaker students allows learning conversations and peer-teaching moments to happen spontaneously. Also, learning tasks can be set into game formats easily when using cooperative learning. Use matching games, chalkboard games and 20-questions-like games to present and review information.
Children who are at-risk often suffer from low self esteem. In situations where they are asked to be competitive they will often elect not to try rather than risk failing. If at-risk students do try in a competitive situation and are not successful, they can suffer damage to an already damaged self-image. Instead, plan activities that pit the students against time, or against an imaginary foe. Make the goal to get a certain number of points or to complete a certain number of tasks.
Lead at-risk kindergartners to set goals. Make clear that you have high expectations for them, so that they are willing to set high expectations for themselves. Use poster boards to create charts on which they can display their overall goal -- for example, tying their shoes -- and mark steps on the way to success. This helps them not only to become goal setters, but to see a visual representation of their success.
Plan activities in your curriculum that relate to the child's world. When teaching a child math, incorporate objects into their word problems that the children have experience with. In a rural area, having students count hay bales instead of computers would be a logical choice. For at risk students to retain the information they are taught they must be able to see not only how the information applies to real life, but how it applies to their life personally.