Read and Discover
Fig 1. Keep
Calm and Love Reading. Pinterest. Web. Accessed 2 Oct 2017.
Reading has always been my absolute favourite pass-time. I could read all day and feel completely fulfilled. Therefore, it came as a shock to me when I realized that some others disliked reading and would avoid it at all cost!
How I promote literacy in the classroom:
With this realization, I knew that
there had to be ways to make reading more interesting and engaging for students
who were reluctant to open a book. In my classroom, I had what I called “book
talks” after silent reading. This was unstructured time for students to discuss
what they had read about that afternoon and what had struck them, what they
found interesting, and to dive into some concepts that they had come across in
their readings. I found that allowing students to make their own choices for
pleasure reading really enhanced their enjoyment, which is why I also was very flexible with my choices for literature circles.
In the past, I also ran a lunch time book
club, which I called “Pizza and Pages”. This was a club open to the whole
class, where we selected a book and read it over the course of the month. We
had a discussion day once a month, where we enjoyed pizza and conversation.
Sometimes I guided the discussion, but mostly, the students took over and had
plenty to share. This book club was a huge success and by the end of the year,
most of my students chose to attend! As a future librarian, I hope to hold a
school-wide book club with the same intention, as I feel like it was a great
opportunity to encourage pleasure reading and get to know the students. (Aguilar 2013) This was an important way to promote literacy because “many students (especially boys) need to interact with each other around texts. It greatly enhances their comprehension and makes it so much more enjoyable” (Aguilar 2013).
School-Wide Reading Program
Encouraging a school wide reading
program could be encouraged in several different ways. The tools at our
disposition to do so are varied, but let’s consider technology first. Many
successful librarians have lively twitter feeds that they use to encourage
students to participate in library culture. Open libraries, where sources are
easily available online and/or in person, also make reading materials easily
available to students. (Mukunda &
Vellanki 2015) The teachers and/or librarians of a school could also encourage
students to film multimedia projects about their favourite books (commercials
advertising them, or movie trailers about the book, etc.) and present them in
the library as a twist on the regular “Book Fair”.
I believe that to encourage a school wide reading program, students need to see the library, and reading in general, as a non-threatening place where we can enjoy ourselves and discover new things. Setting up couches, or for elementary schools, colourful tents filled with pillows, would encourage students to look forward to relaxing with a good book. This comfortable space in the library or classroom would reinforce the idea that reading is meant to be an enjoyable activity.
Fig.2 Tween Tent. Plainfield Public Library. Web. Accessed Oct 2
Other school-wide activities that would encourage a school-wide reading program include, having authors come to speak to the children, or field trips to libraries or book stores. You could also organize literature circles, or read-a-thons, where students can wear “pj’s, [take] their pillows and stuffed animals to school, [and] re-read their favourite books.” (Teachthought Staff 2017) This encourages community building, makes the library very accessible and could possibly raise money for the community! Also, for younger students, teaching reading strategies that ensure that everyone is free to love reading is essential (because it’s hard to enjoy something that’s really difficult for you). Having appropriate reading materials for their ability level is crucial as well. (Teachthought Staff 2017)
In conclusion, I believe that demonstrating that good literature is easily accessible and meant to be enjoyed is a great way to foster a love of reading. Offering students the opportunity to share their reading experiences develops deeper understanding and appreciation of books. The use of technology and community building activities are great ways to encourage students to see the library as a place of discovery and fun! In doing these activities, we can nurture a positive school-wide reading culture. Please respond below with any other helpful ideas or suggestions!
Some websites I found very useful for my research were:
www.edutopia.org/blog/cultivating-love-reading-students-elena-aguilar.
www.teachthought.com/literacy/25-ways-schools-can-promote-literacy-independent-reading/.
Works Cited
Aguilar, Elena. “Ten Ways to Cultivate a Love of Reading in Students.” Edutopia, 13 Feb. 2013, www.edutopia.org/blog/cultivating-love-reading-students-elena-aguilar.
Mukunda, Usha, and Vivek Vellanki. “Unlocking Shelves: Fostering a Culture of Reading and Inclusion through Open Libraries.” Contemporary Education Dialogue, vol. 13, no. 1, 2015, pp. 157–165. UBC Library, doi:10.1177/0973184915603179.
Staff, TeachThought. “25 Ways Schools Can Promote Literacy And Independent Reading.” TeachThought, 10 July 2017, www.teachthought.com/literacy/25-ways-schools-can-promote-literacy-independent-reading/.
I really enjoyed reading your post and have taken away some great ideas. Being in a middle school I see students who absolutely hate reading. I think that we are sometimes guilty of taking the joy out of reading because of what we ask them to do before, during and after they read. Your post has so many great ideas to keep the love of reading alive. I particularly liked the 25 Ways Schools can Promote Literacy and Independent Reading, and I will definitely be sharing this with my staff. One particular idea I loved was inviting guest readers into classrooms. I also agree with you about the importance of allowing our students to talk about what they are reading. I often see that students are asked to write about what they read, and I think that those who struggle with writing are left out of the conversations. Great post!
ReplyDeleteI have to say there were some ideas that you have done in your classroom that I plan to borrow such as the post reading book talks and the pizza and pages idea for a book club. I have also grappled with the issue of how to encourage reading for those that don't share my love of it without making it too much of a chore - sometimes our reading instruction takes all the fun out if it :(
ReplyDeleteI also used the Teach Thought article for my blog post this week too :)
I love the idea of "Pizza and Pages"! I can see myself beginning something like this in January once I am a little more comfortable in my new role as TL. I also love the idea of starting a Twitter account for our library. I have brought up the idea to the admin, but he is still "old school". He says he needs to bring it up to PAC at the next meeting. I am hoping I can begin this initiative very soon as it would allow me to convey information to the school community without them having to read an entire newsletter. I would use it to send out short messages about events, library contests, new books etc., in the hopes that it would draw more people into the library.
ReplyDeleteGood blog post that really gets down to whats most important for encouraging reading, food! You've done a good job outlining some of the good strategies you've found and selected to promote and encourage a solid reading culture at your school. A couple of good links, and a few images. More media, some 'labels' to categorize your blog post, even some videos where appropriate would be a small improvement.
ReplyDelete