My Response to Reading Challenge Fail
S.O.L. #22 out of 31
My blog yesterday revealed that my school failed to met a simple independent reading challenge this month. This was an eye opener that students are not reading at home like we would hope. It was also a wake up call that we need to do something about it.
The Scholastic Kid and Family reading report noted that "66% of infrequent readers said they would read more if they could find more books that they like." That is where we can start. Let's do something about it and get these kids reading books!!
The Scholastic Kid and Family reading report noted that "66% of infrequent readers said they would read more if they could find more books that they like." That is where we can start. Let's do something about it and get these kids reading books!!
What can we do here at school? (Thanks to all the slicers' comments and suggestions on yesterday's post)
Have Book Talks. (Scholastic has many) Kids see all sorts of advertisements and commercials for so many things everyday. Why not advertise BOOKS!!? Get them excited about reading! They are bound to see something that they want to read!
Videotape your own students doing book talks. Share it with the whole school! We have done this in conjunction with our school book fair to entice the students to come find the great books. We have also recorded students, teachers, principals giving book talks about their favorite book titles that were in the March Book Madness competition. Kids loved it!
Have a large classroom library to keep books at the students fingertips. Have books available to hand them. Let them check them out from you and take them home to read too!
Read aloud to your students. Read great literature to your students. Let them fall in love with books that they might not normally pick up. Don't dismiss this precious opportunity due to a tight schedule. (Today nanc xoxo at ...never ending story...suggests this book In -Defense of Read Aloud in America can't wait to get my hands on it!)
Provide students with time to actually read a book of choice independently at school. We can see from the stats that they aren't doing it at home. Sadly, it has dwindled during the school day as well. We have got to make it part of our day everyday at school. I hope I can get this message across at my own school.
Let kids share about what they have read. Isn't that the first thing you want to do when you finish a great book? You want to tell others all about it. So encourage kids to recommend books to friends. This becomes very powerful. Kids need to talk about their books. You can even extend this into the 21st century by utilizing a program similar to Goodreads and Shellfari but where kids can rate, recommend and write about good books they've read. I've found a couple for kids Whoo's Reading and Destiny Quest. Do you have one that your students use?
This is only the beginning, but at least it is a step in the right direction.
These are all great, thoughtful ideas. I admit that the tight schedule at school can erode some of our reading time. For example, I know that in addition to reading just right books independently, kids need time to dig into choice books with friends during buddy reading. You've inspired me to try to create some more time for just that.
ReplyDeleteSuch great ideas! I love that you took something that is tough...failing to meet a reading challenge and your first response is to figure out how to make things better. No blame. No anger. Just "How do we fix it?" LOVE this!!!! Can't wait to read about how well these things are working! :)
ReplyDeleteThese are great ideas. Years ago we had a Sustained Silent reading period built into our weekly schedule. Everyone in the school, students, teachers, principal, secretaries, and all staff would read for 45 minutes.
ReplyDeleteHaving some school time dedicated to reading is important. Allowing time for students to talk about their reading with another student often seems to sustain "reading habits" . . . too many other choices in life away from school so some time at school must be a priority!
ReplyDeleteHaving some school time dedicated to reading is important. Allowing time for students to talk about their reading with another student often seems to sustain "reading habits" . . . too many other choices in life away from school so some time at school must be a priority!
ReplyDeleteReading In the Wild by Donalyn Miller is an excellent book with fabulous ideas!
ReplyDeleteMy students mostly all live in print-free homes, so it's so important that they hear good reading of good books at school. I can't imagine a more important way to spend our classroom time.
ReplyDeleteI've always thought it would be awesome to have a large enough classroom library where the children can borrow books to take home overnight. That is so rare! You have fabulous ideas here.
ReplyDeleteGood, thoughtful ideas! I'm always looking for good books. I keep a list of every book I read, along with author, summary, and I give star ratings! Then when I just remember the feel of a book, I can look back to get information to maybe read it again!
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