It
just makes sense that to become a better reader you have to read. I
used to tell my students that pro basketball, baseball or football players got
there by practicing! They dribbled, batted, passed, ran, jumped and
practiced shooting the ball into the hoop for hours and hours in order to
become the best player they could be. To be a better reader, writer
or mathematician is the very same, you have to practice. (Click on the image to download the free sign.)
I
found this chart on Mrs. London's Free Resources that very clearly shows how
reading more often leads to increased test scores.
I
know the school day is very busy, but you should try to squeeze in as much time
as possible for students to read. In my classroom, if students had any
extra time they were to get out a book to read. There weren't any other little
time filler activities, they just got out their book and read.
Here
are some tips for getting your students to read more:
1.
Make sure they have access to books at their level. Set up your
classroom library so they can easily find good-fit books. Teach them how
to find those books. You can show them the 5 finger test. Choose a page
from the middle of the book, read it. Count one finger for each word not
known or not able to read. If you get to five fingers then this book may
not be a good fit.
2. Make finding a good-fit book part of your morning routine. Each student should have 2 or 3 books at their desk, ready to read. I liked giving my students a Book Baggie. They kept at least 3 books in it at all times. When one book was finished it was taken out and another was put in. This Book Baggie went home every night and was returned the next morning.
2. Make finding a good-fit book part of your morning routine. Each student should have 2 or 3 books at their desk, ready to read. I liked giving my students a Book Baggie. They kept at least 3 books in it at all times. When one book was finished it was taken out and another was put in. This Book Baggie went home every night and was returned the next morning.
3. Make reading the one and only
choice of what to do when an assignment is finished.
4. Schedule a relax and read time after recess or lunch. Kids can get their water bottle and find a place around the room to relax and enjoy their book. In order to maximize the time, set a timer. When the timer goes off, if everyone is in their spot and reading, the class earns a point toward a Friday reward.
5. Connect independent reading to your reading lessons. One way to help connect your reading lessons to the independent or read-to-self time is to use Thinkmarks. Thinkmarks are small bookmarks students keep in their book to remind them of a recent skill or strategy taught during a lesson. The Thinkmark may even have a place for students to stop and jot down notes as they read.
4. Schedule a relax and read time after recess or lunch. Kids can get their water bottle and find a place around the room to relax and enjoy their book. In order to maximize the time, set a timer. When the timer goes off, if everyone is in their spot and reading, the class earns a point toward a Friday reward.
5. Connect independent reading to your reading lessons. One way to help connect your reading lessons to the independent or read-to-self time is to use Thinkmarks. Thinkmarks are small bookmarks students keep in their book to remind them of a recent skill or strategy taught during a lesson. The Thinkmark may even have a place for students to stop and jot down notes as they read.
Click
on the image to download a free sample of the Thinkmarks from Crockett's
Classroom.
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