Reading is to the mind
what exercise is to the body!
You can help build a culture of reading
here at Everett!
If you haven’t built independent reading into your
classes yet, consider doing so, even just once a week. Require students to have
a book on their desk so that when they’ve finished a task, they can open up the
book instead of the phone. Read aloud - not just for academics, but for enjoyment. Talk up books you are reading or books you
recommend. Don't forget to be a good reading role model - you may be the only adult your students see reading.
If you don’t have a little classroom library, I encourage you to
start one: library book sales are a great place to stock up cheaply, and https://www.donorschoose.org/ is
another great source of support. Search for Everett on Donors Choose and you’ll
see some of your colleagues’ requests out there!
There is a lot of research on the benefits of free reading:
Vocabulary development: The major determinant of vocabulary growth from about 3rd grade on is free reading.
Background knowledge: Differences in background knowledge account for differences
in text comprehension, especially for low- and middle-income children. However,
reading helps students develop background knowledge.
Reading achievement: Amount of free reading is correlated with reading fluency and comprehension.
Success in school: Student success in school is correlated with the amount of independent reading they do.
Attitude and motivation: Students who do a substantial amount of voluntary reading
demonstrate a positive attitude toward reading and school than students who do not.
You can read the first chapter of Building Student Literacy Through Sustained Silent Reading by Steve Gardiner for free.
You can read this article about the value of free reading from Language Arts, RealTeachers’ Classroom IndependentReading Practices by Sherry Sanden.
Happy reading!
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