Our students should be reading each and every day in our classrooms. Sadly, if they are not reading with us, many of them are not reading without us. And yes, they will be reading text that we choose in science, social studies, and in math. And yes, sometimes they will be practicing with decodable books or levelled books, even. But there should also be time embedded into your daily schedule for independent reading. How long? In her book, Sometimes Reading is Hard, Robin Bright suggests:
“Fifteen minutes is magic!… Carving out 15 minutes a day can make all the difference. That length of time is considered consequential in helping students improve their decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension reading skills. And it’s so easy to make this a part of your daily routine.”
The key is ensuring that students are actually reading and not fake reading. How?
- Let them choose ANY book on the shelf during this time.
- Set an example and read when they are reading.
- Generate book buzz by talking about books and getting students excited about reading!
- If you notice someone not engaged during independent reading, do whatever it takes to find something they enjoy: a topic, genre, or specific author. (As a starting point, consider giving an Interest Inventory at this time of year. What do they like to do? What are their passions? If they could learn about any topic, what would it be? Hockey, knitting, music, animals? There are books on EVERY topic: find one to hook your reluctant reader.)
- Talk about the importance of reading and remind them that it is a skill they will use every day of their lives!
Remember, you set the tone for independent reading. If you see it as an extra or unnecessary, so will your students. Collect those fieldtrip forms or check signatures in agenda books at another time. Show students you value this time and the opportunity to read!