| What does it mean to read and be a reader? | | | | Yes, I know it is hard to find that time during the |
| There are so many variables that go into children | | | | day. I don't always achieve it in my own |
| reading. Do we want them to have strong fluency | | | | classroom, I must admit. However, I do get it in |
| skills, with excellent word attack strategies? Yes. | | | | most of the time. How? |
| When we see our children reading, should they be | | | | *My students read as soon as they come in the |
| comprehending at a deep and meaningful level? | | | | door (10 minutes) *They read to self for at least |
| Yes. | | | | 30 minutes per day |
| But do your children or students really spend | | | | *They read with a buddy for at least 20 minutes |
| enough time actually reading? It they don't, why | | | | per day *They read at the listening center for 15 |
| do you think that is? For whatever reason there | | | | minutes per day |
| may be, I propose that if they are not reading a | | | | *We read poetry together for 15 minutes every |
| lot, they probably do not love it yet. | | | | day *We do an interactive read aloud together |
| Think about this using an analogy. How did you | | | | every day (15-20 minutes) |
| learn to ride a bicycle? Did your parents spend | | | | I do work on specific reading skills as well, |
| hours talking to you about it, drawing diagrams, | | | | intervene with those students who have not |
| making you practice with a bicycle on a piece of | | | | reached fluency benchmarks, and enrich students |
| paper? Of course not. | | | | who are ready for the "big" bikes. But that is |
| If your parents were like mine, they put you on | | | | simply not the foundation of my reading program. |
| it, put one hand on the handlebar, and off we | | | | Getting children reading and making children love |
| went. I had support, but also I was riding a real | | | | reading are a bit different though. You, as the |
| bike. They also bandaged my knees when I fell | | | | teacher or parent, are responsible for helping your |
| and showed me what to do better the next time. | | | | children be passionate readers. How can you do |
| When I got older, I didn't stay on my little bike. I | | | | that? |
| was ready for a bigger one, with more gears and | | | | Make the process of reading a pleasurable one |
| gizmos. | | | | We all repeat activities that bring us pleasure. |
| I had never been on a bigger bike before, and I | | | | When we enjoy something, we are bound to try |
| was shaky on it. I fell a few times in the | | | | harder, do it more often and keep coming back |
| beginning, but I got back on. After some practice | | | | to it even if we mess up a bit. That is basic |
| with my bike, I no longer needed any help and | | | | human nature. Therefore, teachers need to make |
| was not worried about getting on it every day. In | | | | reading a pleasurable activity. Yes, you do. If you |
| fact, the more I was on it, the more I loved it. | | | | want your children reading and growing, then |
| Do you get the analogy? That is how you need | | | | make it an enjoyable experience. |
| to teach the love of reading. | | | | *Read aloud every day, and put your heart and |
| If you are a teacher, stop doing all of the | | | | soul into it (this is essential) |
| worksheets you think you need for a grade. Let | | | | *Provide them with opportunities to share what |
| go of long lessons on hunks and chunks (do them, | | | | they are reading (have your students do a |
| but ten minutes should be all you need). | | | | weekly Book Talk) |
| Real books, real practice, you provide support, | | | | *Let them read with each other, and let them |
| intervene when necessary, and be sure to have | | | | choose who to read with |
| "bigger" books ready for them once they feel | | | | *Keep your classroom library fresh and |
| confident and ready to move on: these are the | | | | well-stocked with most books facing out so kids |
| essentials to get children reading. | | | | can see the covers |
| They won't become better readers if all you do is | | | | *Ask them about their books - they want to |
| talk about reading, practice skills on paper and | | | | share with you |
| devote very little time to the actual art of | | | | *For goodness sake, do not make them answer |
| reading. | | | | questions or write a report for everything they |
| Parents and teachers must understand that the | | | | read! |
| volume of reading a child does directly impacts his | | | | *Provide special books to check out and take |
| or her achievement levels. | | | | home for parents to read to their children |
| If a fifth grade student reads an average of 40 | | | | *Let them earn a Read-In (an entire afternoon of |
| minutes per day, that is over 2,350,000 words | | | | reading, with crisps, soda, and pillows) |
| per year they are being exposed to and that | | | | *Encourage them to get involved in a series, like |
| means that student will generally rank in the 90th | | | | Geronimo Stilton |
| percentile for achievement. On the other hand, a | | | | *Let them read what they like as often as you |
| student who reads less than 5 minutes per day is | | | | can: comic books, magazines, animal books, |
| only exposed to around 51,000 words per year | | | | picture books, anything!) |
| and will likely rank in the 10th percentile. | | | | *Present a Book Blessing every other week |
| Isn't that shocking data on children reading? | | | | *Invite parents in to talk about their favorite |
| Your instruction may be excellent, but if your | | | | books and read to the class |
| students are not reading - a lot - your excellent | | | | And if you are really desperate to do anything to |
| teaching will not show many gains in their | | | | improve your students or child's reading skills... |
| achievement levels. As well, without reading real | | | | Turn on the closed captioning on the "education |
| books, comics, magazines - whatever "floats their | | | | shows" we all like so much on a Friday afternoon. |
| boat" - you are not helping them learn to love | | | | That way they end up reading the words on the |
| reading. | | | | television as they are watching the show. Sneaky, |
| You need to provide a lot of time for them to | | | | but effective (credit to Jim Trelease in "The |
| simply read (or you need to be reading to them!). | | | | Read-Aloud Handbook"). I do it to my own kids at |
| Practicing reading skills is the number one way to | | | | home. I don't know if they necessarily love |
| build fluency. 90 minutes per school day is Richard | | | | reading because of it, but their fluency and |
| L. Allington's recommendation in his book "What | | | | vocabulary has sure improved! |
| Really Matters for Struggling Readers." I think that | | | | Copyright 2009 Primary-Education-Oasis. |
| is spot on. | | | | |