Reading is the groundwork that will help lead students to finding success in other areas of education that utilize reading such as math and social studies. Children become strong readers when they are properly modeled effective reading strategies, but also when they are given the time to practice what is modeled on their own. Students should be allowed to pick the books they would like to read independently, but those books they select should still provide a manageable challenge to students. An excellent method I have seen in my placement sites and read about for students to have texts of interest pre-selected for them to encourage them to read on their own is to provide them with individual book boxes. The book boxes should contain student selected materials and even ones provided by the teacher based on knowledge of interests and areas of struggle. They should be displayed and easily accessible for students when time for independent reading becomes an option in class. This is a technique that I will implement in my future classroom. When students are given opportunities to spend time reading a book that interests them, they become more likely to develop a deeper enjoyment of reading in general and begin to see its value in their lives. The more time you can offer your students to read independently, the more they will become strong, capable readers.
Evidence #1: Motivating Students to Read Attached you will find an article that discusses what students would like from teachers in order to be motivated to read and what teachers can do to meet those needs. Factors discussed that motivate children to read are the access to books in the classroom, having opportunities to self-select the books read, being familiar with books, and having time to discuss books read with other students. Children love being able to share what they have read and enjoyed from their selected books and giving them the opportunity to discuss what is they read will motivate them to not only read more but will help develop a love of reading. When children are exposed to a variety of books from different genres, featuring a variety of characters, and topics, they will continue to develop as well-rounded readers. www-tc.pbs.org/teacherline/courses/rdla150/docs/c1s5_20creatingclassroom.pdf
Evidence #2: Book Boxes I mentioned above that something I wanted to implement in my future classroom is book boxes. The book boxes would be filled with self-selected materials from the students based off of their reading levels and interests. I would already have knowledge of the students reading levels and be able to assist them in finding books that would be the best fit for them. All the boxes would be labeled with the students' names and I would like for them to be decorated by the students so that they begin to become and engaged and connected with idea of reading and selecting their own materials. The book boxes would be displayed on a shelf in the classroom that is visible to all children and easily accessible when their is time for free choice reading. The image below is an example of book boxes being utilized in a classroom. I would offer a specific time during the week and at the beginning of the school year for students to select new materials to place in their book boxes and after they have had time to read them, offer a time for them to have their own personal book talk about why others should read that book and what they enjoyed about it. Book boxes are also a form of differentiation for students. The boxes are filled with books that feature materials based on the varying abilities of students and offer them the time to practice reading techniques and skills that they can use if they are struggling with expression, fluency or comprehension. All books in the book boxes will be different depending on the student reading them.