How I Developed a Remedial Reading and Math Program for Struggling 5‑Year‑Olds in a Caribbean Classroom

A Quiet Child With Big Questions

Recently, during a quiet reading session, I found myself pausing to observe one child in my classroom. She sat patiently at her desk, feet swinging just above the floor as the classroom fan turned slowly towards her. Her finger traced the edge of her book as if searching for reassurance. When it was her turn to read, her voice was soft and careful, revealing just enough hesitation to signal uncertainty. Later that same morning, during math, she counted deliberately on her fingers, one by one, while her classmates called out answers with confidence.

She is five years old.

She loves story time. She asks thoughtful questions. She is bright.
Yet she is struggling.

Some students are still confused about letter sounds. Some could not blend three sounds together to read a simple word. Others could chant numbers confidently but did not understand that the number 8 represents a real quantity. It is something you can build, share, and compare.

They are not unmotivated.
They are not “slow.”
Many of my struggling readers could see letters, but they could not always hear the sounds within words.

In that moment, I was reminded that many struggling five‑year‑olds in Caribbean classrooms are not falling behind because they cannot learn, but because key foundations were never firmly built. Watching her work through tasks with such effort and care led me to reflect deeply on my own practice and ask an important question:

How do I build a remedial reading and math program that truly supports five‑year‑olds who are still falling behind?

That question shaped everything I did next.

Understanding Why Some Caribbean Children Are Still Struggling

The Gaps That Don’t Close on Their Own

By age five, many children are expected to read simple sentences and solve basic addition problems. But in my classroom, I saw something different.

Children like her are not lazy.

Many like her experience interruptions in early learning. Some came from homes where books were limited. Some speak Spanish as their first language. Others speak Creole or dialect naturally and were still learning to navigate Standard English in school. What they had in common was this: key foundations were missing.

I realized that before I could move forward, I needed to go back.

 

How I Developed My Remedial Reading Program

Starting From the Very Beginning

I slowed everything down.

Instead of assuming what students should know, I assessed each child individually. I listened as they named letters and sounds. I asked them to blend simple words. I noticed who relied on guessing and who froze completely when faced with print.

A clear pattern emerged.

So I began with phonemic awareness: before books, before worksheets.

Each day, we listened for sounds. We clapped syllables in familiar words. We stretched out sounds in names, foods, and places the children knew. We blended sounds orally long before writing anything down.

When children learned to hear the sounds clearly, reading became less confusing and less frightening.

From there, I introduced phonics in short, focused lessons. I modeled each sound carefully. We practiced together. When mistakes happened, and they often did, I corrected them gently but immediately. Guessing was replaced with decoding, step by step.

We read short, decodable texts repeatedly. At first, progress was slow. But repetition brought confidence. The moment a child read a full sentence without stopping, their smile said everything.

Small groups made all the difference. With four or five students at a time, every child was seen, heard, and supported. No one felt lost, and no one felt embarrassed.

How I Developed My Remedial Math Program

Rebuilding Number Sense Using Real Caribbean Experiences

Math struggles looked quite different, but the root problem was the same - weak foundations.

Many students could recite numbers like a song, but they did not truly understand them. Counting felt disconnected from real life. Addition felt like guessing.

So again, I went back to the basics.

We counted everything; bottle caps, stones, shells, beans, pencils. We practiced one‑to‑one correspondence until it became automatic. We compared groups and talked about which had more, which had less, and which were the same.

Manipulatives became part of our daily routine. Children built numbers with cubes. They used ten‑frames to see how numbers fit together. We walked number lines on the floor to show that addition means moving forward, not just writing symbols on paper.

I slowed the pace deliberately. Instead of racing through worksheets, we explored the story behind each number. For example, why 5 + 3 equals 8. We broke numbers apart and put them back together. We talked through strategies using language children understood. Essentially, understanding came before speed. Gradually, math felt safer. Students relied less on their fingers and confidence grew alongside comprehension.

 

Structuring the Program for Consistency and Security

Predictable Routines That Support Learning

Structure became an essential tool in my arsenal. Why? Because children who struggle academically often crave predictability. They need to know what is coming next. In literacy, our remedial block followed a clear pattern: phonemic awareness, phonics, guided reading, sight word practice, and writing. Everything connected. Sounds we practiced showed up in reading. Words we read appeared in writing.

Math followed a similar rhythm. We began with a short number sense warm‑up, explored one focused concept using hands‑on materials, practiced together, and ended with a brief review. The routine created safety. The safety created confidence. The confidence created learning.

 

What This Experience Taught Me

Slow Progress Can Be Powerful Progress

Remediation is not quick work. It requires patience, consistency, and belief. Some days felt repetitive. Some days felt tiring but growth happened.

The first time a child blended sounds smoothly without hesitation, I knew it was working. The first time a student solved an addition problem by explaining their thinking instead of guessing, I saw true understanding forming.

Most importantly, I learned that relationships matter first.

Many struggling five‑year‑olds carry quiet frustration. They are used to feeling behind. Creating a warm, supportive classroom, one where mistakes were normal and effort was celebrated, was just as important as teaching skills.

When children feel safe, they take risks. When they take risks, they learn.

Closing the Gap With Intention

Developing a remedial reading and math program for struggling five‑year‑olds in a Caribbean context taught me that the answer is not more worksheets or faster pacing. The answer is clear instruction, strong foundations, small groups, cultural relevance, and steady encouragement. These children are not behind forever. They simply need someone willing to slow down, meet them where they are, and guide them forward - step by step.

And when we do that, the quiet child at the back of the room begins to raise her hand.