Motivating Readers

1. Motivating Readers Are our students reading? Raising Student Achievement Conference December 6/7, 2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrQ_o7FmwKo

2. Balance, balance, balance… Today’s information doesn’t mean to toss out all that you have been doing that’s part of your reading program or curriculum… Celebrate what is working! It is to make you think about how much free-reading you include in your classroom as part of each school day. Are you modeling reading behavior? Are you teaching the book or are you teaching the student?

3. Where I got my informtion…The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller • 6th Grade teacher • Students read 40 books per school year in her class • Students meet & many times surpass this goal • 85% of her students score in the 85th or higher percentile on the TAKS • Not one student has failed the TAKS in the last 4 years in her classroom • Students of all demographics in her classroom

4. INTERNAL ASSETSCOMMITMENT TO LEARNING • Achievement Motivation | Young person is motivated to do well in school. • School Engagement | Young person is actively engaged in learning. • Homework | Young person reports doing at least one hour of homework every school day. • Bonding to School | Young person cares about her or his school. • Reading for Pleasure | Young person reads for pleasure three or more hours per week. http://www.search-institute.org 40 Developmental Assets for Healthy Development

5. BENEFITS OF READING from correlational studies Stephen Krashen 1.More reading > better reading2.More reading > better writing3.More reading > more writing (SY Lee)4.more reading > read faster (Anderson, Fielding)5.more reading > know more about literature (Stanovich)6.more reading > know more social science (Stanovich)7.more reading > more cultural literacy (Stanovich)8.more reading > have more practical knowledge (Stanovich)10.more reading > better grades in writing class (SY Lee)12.more reading > less writing apprehension (SY Lee)13.more reading > less writer's block (SY Lee)14.more reading > less memory loss (Rice)15.more reading > more hobbies, involvement in the world (NEA)16.reading helps you sleep (Nell)17.Free voluntary reading is pleasant (Csikszentmihalyi , Nell)18.Eminent people nearly all voracious readers; (Simonton)

6. Penny Kittle As a professional development coordinator for the Conway, New Hampshire, School District, Penny Kittle acts as a K-12 literacy coach and directs new-teacher mentoring. In addition, she teaches writing at Conway’sKennett High School and in the Summer Literacy Institutes at the Universityof New Hampshire. Penny is the author of four books with Heinemann—Write Beside Them: Risk, Voice, and Clarity in High School Writing (2008) which won the 2009 James N. Britton Award from NCTE, Inside Writing (2005), coauthored with Donald H. Graves, The Greatest Catch (2005), and Public Teaching(2003)—and she is a Heinemann Professional Development Provider.

7. Local data

9. I like reading my own books. • I love to read, I didn’t like this book. • I’m not glad teachers assign books to us, it is funner when we pick books. • If they (teachers) didn’t assign we wouldn’t have anything to do. • We know what we like so it may be more interesting. • They (teachers) pick easy books. • Some books teachers pick are boring. • Some people like different types of books. • I know what my type of reading is & my interests. • I don’t really like reading books they (teachers) pick out. • We could have something that’s good instead of having something picked out for you that you think is not good. • Maybe we all ready read the book they assign. • Then if a teacher picked a book you have read a million times then it would be boring.

12. Types of Readers • Developing readers (struggling readers) • Experiencing reading failure time & time again • Dormant readers • These students never discover that reading is enjoyable • Because much of reading is dictated by teachers, these readers do not learn to choose books for themselves • Underground readers • Avid readers • School for them is about performing to the teacher’s expectations and doing the work that is required • Their reading takes place all outside of school or at ‘stolen’ moments (hiding their book in their desk) The Book Whisperer; Miller

13. Rely on your resources… • Your building/district reading coach-let them help you, model for you. • Find professional development on instructional strategies for literacy. • Talk to fellow teachers & find out their literacy strengths, work together in finding ways to meet developing readers’ needs.

14. Trelease also has suggested that one very positive reading experience can create a reader, one "home run" book experience (Trelease, 2001) http://www.sdkrashen.com/articles/childrens_lit/all.html

15. Picking a book • Have the kids come up with these strategies together…brainstorm

16. How to market books… • Book talks/commercials (everyday/often) • Author websites that talk about the book • Students recommend • Images of book covers with summary (Peggy Sharp) • http://www.bookwink.com/index.html • Read-Alouds!

17. Reading Moments • Creating space to read (the entire classroom!) • Taking books wherever they go • Library time is an important time • Bell ringers

18. What are “reader” behaviors? • Readers have a “next” book • Readers talk about what they’re reading • Readers like to keep track of what they have readwww.shelfari.comhttp://www.librarything.com/http://www.goodreads.com/ What behaviors help you as a reader?

19. What is your reading history • Did you struggle? • What motivated you to read when in school? • Did you read assigned reading? • Did you come from a family of readers? • Are you an active reader now?

20. www.peggysharp.com • Book binders with books arranged by content, by topic, by grade level.

21. Classroom Libraries • Rely on your school library & librarian! • Garage sales • Book swaps • Order or no particular order? (Miller vs. Esme) • Book order companies • Instead of gifts, encourage kids to donate to the classroom library

22. How to assess independent reading • The Book Whisperer: Read 40 books in the school year • What if the student doesn’t make it? • Log pages-setting goals based on the reader • Reading by theme-covering a variety • Reading by genre-covering a variety • A storyboard from the reader

23. Can students really “learn” when reading what they want…? • Think about the last few books you’ve read, that you have picked- What did you take away? What new information do you now have after reading them?

24. Read Write Think-Thinkfinity.org • Lesson Plan • Developing Reading Plans to Support Independent Reading • E-mail / Share / Print This Page / Print All Materials (Note: Handouts must be printed separately) • Grades6 – 8Lesson Plan TypeStandardLessonEstimatedTimeThree 50-minute sessionsLesson Author • Traci Gardner • Blacksburg, Virginia • Publisher • PreviewStandardsResources & PreparationInstructionalPlanRelatedResourcesComments • Overview • Featured Resources • From Theory to Practice • OVERVIEW • In this lesson, students brainstorm texts that they have read recently and map their choices using a Graphic Map to rate and make notes about them. Students then look for patterns connecting the texts that they enjoyed the most and those they enjoyed the least. Once they've analyzed their past readings, students complete a reading plan by first listing categories of books they want to read. They then use booklists, book reviews, and other resources to create a wish list of books they hope to read in the future.

25. Alternatives… • Book commercials • Book Reviews • Prepare & practice for oral reading • Use audiotapes/CD’s/Podcasts

26. The Freedom of the Reader • Setting some parameters in the classroom- • It’s OK not to finish a book • It’s OK not to like a book • It’s OK to reread a book • It’s OK to skip pages

27. I can’t read every book… How do I know enough about the book to recommend or to know if there is anything to worry about? http://www.childlit.info A Season of Gifts By Richard Peck Concerns • Violence: A large turtle is killed for soup. A boy is bullied and humiliated. • Sex: An unwed teen is pregnant and forced to marry. • Commercialism: Beer and cigarette brands mentioned. • Drugs: Drinking and drunkenness, including young teens, a drunk driving accident, teens smoke, kids smoke cornsilk. • Behavior: The message of the book is about the gifts we give each other, gifts of the spirit and the heart, which are remembered forever. Mrs. Dowdel may be crotchety, but she works tirelessly behind the scenes to improve the lives of others. • Education: The story takes place in the 50s, and there are some details about that era. Also, Mrs. Dowdel hearkens back to an earlier time when people made everything they needed from scratch, and allowed nothing to go to waste. Readers may be interested in some of her projects.

28. Lexile… • A student's optimal Lexile range is from 100L below to 50L above his or her measure from a reading test. But you don't always have to stay in your Lexile range. Here are some instructional applications for using mistargeted text. • Higher Lexiles can help a reader reach higher: • Advanced and enthusiastic readers can be challenged with high-interest books above their Lexile range. • Lexiles can help a parent know when a child might need help through a hard but interesting book. • Lexiles can also help you find additional books on the same subject at a lower level. • Lower Lexiles can help a reader build skill and confidence: • Struggling and reluctant readers can find easier books to practice with on topics they're interested in. • Combine Lexile range and developmental level to find easier books that are still age-appropriate. • Lexiles can be the safety net to help a reader through a hard but interesting book. • If a school book is too hard, Lexiles can help you find other books on the same subject at a lower level. www.lexile.com

29. Balance, balance, balance… Today’s information doesn’t mean to toss out all that you have been doing that’s part of your reading program or curriculum… Celebrate what is working! It is to make you think about how much free-reading you include in your classroom as part of each school day. Are you modeling reading behavior? Are you teaching the book or are you teaching the student?

30. What are we preparing our students for? Lifelong readers is our goal!