What does it mean to read and be a reader? There are so many variables that go into children reading. Do we want them to have strong fluency skills, with excellent word attack strategies? Yes. When we see our children reading, should they be comprehending at a deep and meaningful level? Yes.
But do your children or students really spend enough time actually reading? It they don't, why do you think that is? For whatever reason there may be, I propose that if they are not reading a lot, they probably do not love it yet.
Think about this using an analogy. How did you learn to ride a bicycle? Did your parents spend hours talking to you about it, drawing diagrams, making you practice with a bicycle on a piece of paper? Of course not.
If your parents were like mine, they put you on it, put one hand on the handlebar, and off we went. I had support, but also I was riding a real bike. They also bandaged my knees when I fell and showed me what to do better the next time.
When I got older, I didn't stay on my little bike. I was ready for a bigger one, with more gears and gizmos.
I had never been on a bigger bike before, and I was shaky on it. I fell a few times in the beginning, but I got back on. After some practice with my bike, I no longer needed any help and was not worried about getting on it every day. In fact, the more I was on it, the more I loved it.
Do you get the analogy? That is how you need to teach the love of reading.
If you are a teacher, stop doing all of the worksheets you think you need for a grade. Let go of long lessons on hunks and chunks (do them, but ten minutes should be all you need).
Real books, real practice, you provide support, intervene when necessary, and be sure to have "bigger" books ready for them once they feel confident and ready to move on: these are the essentials to get children reading.
They won't become better readers if all you do is talk about reading, practice skills on paper and devote very little time to the actual art of reading.
Parents and teachers must understand that the volume of reading a child does directly impacts his or her achievement levels.
If a fifth grade student reads an average of 40 minutes per day, that is over 2,350,000 words per year they are being exposed to and that means that student will generally rank in the 90th percentile for achievement. On the other hand, a student who reads less than 5 minutes per day is only exposed to around 51,000 words per year and will likely rank in the 10th percentile.
Isn't that shocking data on children reading?
Your instruction may be excellent, but if your students are not reading - a lot - your excellent teaching will not show many gains in their achievement levels. As well, without reading real books, comics, magazines - whatever "floats their boat" - you are not helping them learn to love reading.
You need to provide a lot of time for them to simply read (or you need to be reading to them!).
Practicing reading skills is the number one way to build fluency. 90 minutes per school day is Richard L. Allington's recommendation in his book "What Really Matters for Struggling Readers." I think that is spot on.
Yes, I know it is hard to find that time during the day. I don't always achieve it in my own classroom, I must admit. However, I do get it in most of the time. How?
*My students read as soon as they come in the door (10 minutes) *They read to self for at least 30 minutes per day *They read with a buddy for at least 20 minutes per day *They read at the listening center for 15 minutes per day *We read poetry together for 15 minutes every day *We do an interactive read aloud together every day (15-20 minutes)
I do work on specific reading skills as well, intervene with those students who have not reached fluency benchmarks, and enrich students who are ready for the "big" bikes. But that is simply not the foundation of my reading program.
Getting children reading and making children love reading are a bit different though. You, as the teacher or parent, are responsible for helping your children be passionate readers. How can you do that?
Make the process of reading a pleasurable one
We all repeat activities that bring us pleasure. When we enjoy something, we are bound to try harder, do it more often and keep coming back to it even if we mess up a bit. That is basic human nature. Therefore, teachers need to make reading a pleasurable activity. Yes, you do. If you want your children reading and growing, then make it an enjoyable experience.
*Read aloud every day, and put your heart and soul into it (this is essential) *Provide them with opportunities to share what they are reading (have your students do a weekly Book Talk) *Let them read with each other, and let them choose who to read with *Keep your classroom library fresh and well-stocked with most books facing out so kids can see the covers *Ask them about their books - they want to share with you *For goodness sake, do not make them answer questions or write a report for everything they read! *Provide special books to check out and take home for parents to read to their children *Let them earn a Read-In (an entire afternoon of reading, with crisps, soda, and pillows) *Encourage them to get involved in a series, like Geronimo Stilton *Let them read what they like as often as you can: comic books, magazines, animal books, picture books, anything!) *Present a Book Blessing every other week *Invite parents in to talk about their favorite books and read to the class
And if you are really desperate to do anything to improve your students or child's reading skills...
Turn on the closed captioning on the "education shows" we all like so much on a Friday afternoon. That way they end up reading the words on the television as they are watching the show. Sneaky, but effective (credit to Jim Trelease in "The Read-Aloud Handbook"). I do it to my own kids at home. I don't know if they necessarily love reading because of it, but their fluency and vocabulary has sure improved!
But do your children or students really spend enough time actually reading? It they don't, why do you think that is? For whatever reason there may be, I propose that if they are not reading a lot, they probably do not love it yet.
Think about this using an analogy. How did you learn to ride a bicycle? Did your parents spend hours talking to you about it, drawing diagrams, making you practice with a bicycle on a piece of paper? Of course not.
If your parents were like mine, they put you on it, put one hand on the handlebar, and off we went. I had support, but also I was riding a real bike. They also bandaged my knees when I fell and showed me what to do better the next time.
When I got older, I didn't stay on my little bike. I was ready for a bigger one, with more gears and gizmos.
I had never been on a bigger bike before, and I was shaky on it. I fell a few times in the beginning, but I got back on. After some practice with my bike, I no longer needed any help and was not worried about getting on it every day. In fact, the more I was on it, the more I loved it.
Do you get the analogy? That is how you need to teach the love of reading.
If you are a teacher, stop doing all of the worksheets you think you need for a grade. Let go of long lessons on hunks and chunks (do them, but ten minutes should be all you need).
Real books, real practice, you provide support, intervene when necessary, and be sure to have "bigger" books ready for them once they feel confident and ready to move on: these are the essentials to get children reading.
They won't become better readers if all you do is talk about reading, practice skills on paper and devote very little time to the actual art of reading.
Parents and teachers must understand that the volume of reading a child does directly impacts his or her achievement levels.
If a fifth grade student reads an average of 40 minutes per day, that is over 2,350,000 words per year they are being exposed to and that means that student will generally rank in the 90th percentile for achievement. On the other hand, a student who reads less than 5 minutes per day is only exposed to around 51,000 words per year and will likely rank in the 10th percentile.
Isn't that shocking data on children reading?
Your instruction may be excellent, but if your students are not reading - a lot - your excellent teaching will not show many gains in their achievement levels. As well, without reading real books, comics, magazines - whatever "floats their boat" - you are not helping them learn to love reading.
You need to provide a lot of time for them to simply read (or you need to be reading to them!).
Practicing reading skills is the number one way to build fluency. 90 minutes per school day is Richard L. Allington's recommendation in his book "What Really Matters for Struggling Readers." I think that is spot on.
Yes, I know it is hard to find that time during the day. I don't always achieve it in my own classroom, I must admit. However, I do get it in most of the time. How?
*My students read as soon as they come in the door (10 minutes) *They read to self for at least 30 minutes per day *They read with a buddy for at least 20 minutes per day *They read at the listening center for 15 minutes per day *We read poetry together for 15 minutes every day *We do an interactive read aloud together every day (15-20 minutes)
I do work on specific reading skills as well, intervene with those students who have not reached fluency benchmarks, and enrich students who are ready for the "big" bikes. But that is simply not the foundation of my reading program.
Getting children reading and making children love reading are a bit different though. You, as the teacher or parent, are responsible for helping your children be passionate readers. How can you do that?
Make the process of reading a pleasurable one
We all repeat activities that bring us pleasure. When we enjoy something, we are bound to try harder, do it more often and keep coming back to it even if we mess up a bit. That is basic human nature. Therefore, teachers need to make reading a pleasurable activity. Yes, you do. If you want your children reading and growing, then make it an enjoyable experience.
*Read aloud every day, and put your heart and soul into it (this is essential) *Provide them with opportunities to share what they are reading (have your students do a weekly Book Talk) *Let them read with each other, and let them choose who to read with *Keep your classroom library fresh and well-stocked with most books facing out so kids can see the covers *Ask them about their books - they want to share with you *For goodness sake, do not make them answer questions or write a report for everything they read! *Provide special books to check out and take home for parents to read to their children *Let them earn a Read-In (an entire afternoon of reading, with crisps, soda, and pillows) *Encourage them to get involved in a series, like Geronimo Stilton *Let them read what they like as often as you can: comic books, magazines, animal books, picture books, anything!) *Present a Book Blessing every other week *Invite parents in to talk about their favorite books and read to the class
And if you are really desperate to do anything to improve your students or child's reading skills...
Turn on the closed captioning on the "education shows" we all like so much on a Friday afternoon. That way they end up reading the words on the television as they are watching the show. Sneaky, but effective (credit to Jim Trelease in "The Read-Aloud Handbook"). I do it to my own kids at home. I don't know if they necessarily love reading because of it, but their fluency and vocabulary has sure improved!
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