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Free reading program expectations
Parents and Students: Please read this link so that you understand the free-choice reading program expectations.
Reading Requirement = 1 complete book (at least 250 pages) per quarter plus always having a consistent book to read that is updated on your card during free reading time once the initial goal is met.
Parents: Please note that there is not a list of teacher-recommended books for this program. Discuss this program and the book selection with your child so that you are comfortable with the books that she/he is reading.
Click Here for the Book Snippets Informal Presentation
Reading Requirement = 1 complete book (at least 250 pages) per quarter plus always having a consistent book to read that is updated on your card during free reading time once the initial goal is met.
Parents: Please note that there is not a list of teacher-recommended books for this program. Discuss this program and the book selection with your child so that you are comfortable with the books that she/he is reading.
Click Here for the Book Snippets Informal Presentation
Free Reading Discussion Information
Click here for the discussion packet or these questions to guide your class discussion. You are not limited to these questions, but they can be a good starting point
- Each student will state the title and author of the book and then generally explain the plot of the book (without spoiling it for the others).
- What did you think of the book? Did you like it? Explain why and explain how much.
- What was interesting about the book?
- What kept your attention about the book?
- Did this text remind you of any other texts? Movies? Plays? Why?
- If you were going to recommend this text to someone, who would it be? What in the text would that person like?
- What could you relate to in the book? Explain how.
- What parts / events / details made you enjoy this book or did you find interesting?
- What does the title of the book relate to the rest of the story? What does the title have to do with the theme of your story
- If you could talk to the author about this book, what would you ask?
- Would you want to read another book by this author? Why or why not?
- What is unique about this book?
- What advice or pointers can you give to someone reading this book (don't spoil the book)? Does it get batter at a certain point?
- If this text were to be made into a movie, which movie stars would you cast in which roles? Why?
- How can you take the theme from this story and apply it to your life or why would you prefer not to apply that theme to your life?
- Does this setting remind you of a place you know? Was it better or worse because of this?
- Was the setting important to the text? Why or Why not?
- How could you change the setting without changing the outcome?
- How could you change the setting so that it would affect the outcome?
- Who told the story in the text you just read? Was the narrator a character in the story or an omniscient narrator? How did the narrator affect your reading of this story?
- How would the text have changed if a different character had told the story?
- Is there a particular phrase or sentence in the text that you thought was particularly well said? What is there about that passage that makes it stand out in your mind? "I like this quote or passage because..."
- As you read this text, describe how you felt. For example, were you bored, caught up thinking about characters, thinking about how you might react if in the same situation, enjoying the author’s writing style, or enjoying humor or suspense?
- What did the author of this text do that helped you enjoy the story? That made you not enjoy the story?
- Find a section of the text that you particularly liked. What did the author do to help you like that section?
- Which passage in the text would you consider most significant or most important? Why did that passage help shape what you consider to be the message/theme of the text?
- What other writer or writers does this author remind you of? Why?
- Did you like how this author wrote the text? What did you like or not like? Consider things like setting description, use of dialogue, characterization, explanation of conflict, foreshadowing, symbolism, as well as length of chapters, length of sentences, choice of chapter titles, and use of illustrations.
- How did the author make the story come alive in your mind? What specific words or phrases did the author use to help you see events, characters, and setting vividly?
- Look at the beginning of chapters. What did the author do to make you want to read the rest of the chapter? Also look at the endings. Did the author do something special to make you want to read on to the next chapter?
- Can you speculate on why the author chose the narrator he or she did to tell the story?
- Think about several texts you’ve enjoyed. Do they share similar themes? Different themes? If they share similar themes, what does that tell you about what you are looking for in a book or a story?
Building Lifelong Readers Starts Here!
Remember Reading? This is an interesting article linked here.
Linked are some of my favorite quotes from some of the books that I have read that started and reinforced my opinion on why I give my students time to read books of their choice in my class:
The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller
Readicide by Kelly Gallagher
When Kids Can't Read, What Teachers Can Do by Kylene Beers
Empowering Struggling Readers: Practices for the Middle Grades by Leigh Hall
You may also be interested in these links:
Lexile Scores and free reading: Click Here
First, do no harm (don't let testing ruin reading): Click Here
Why reading is a cornerstone of my class:
"In The Power of Reading, I found a total of 41 studies of the value of sustained silent reading in school. In 38 out of the 41 comparisons, readers in sustained silent reading did as well or better on tests of reading than children who spent an equivalent amount of time in traditional instruction. I found nine studies which lasted longer than one year; sustained silent reading was a winner in eight of them, and in one there was no difference." - Stephen Krashen
“ In The Power of Reading, his meta-analysis of research investigation. Stephen Krashen reveals that no single literacy activity has more positive effect on students’ comprehension, vocabulary knowledge, spelling, writing ability, and overall academic achievement than free voluntary reading.” ( from The Book Whisperer p. 51)
“ Research has thoroughly demonstrated that most English teachers teach as they were taught – not because it’s the best way but because it feels familiar and comfortable.” (Empowering Struggling Readers: Practices for the Middle Grades p. 181)
“ Sadly, education historians have found that many common instructional practices – for example, using grammar worksheets or certain literacy masterpieces in English – persist today for no other reason than habit – the way school has always been done.” (Empowering Struggling Readers: Practices for the Middle Grades p. 181)
“I hear many teachers say that they cannot set aside time for students to read because they have so much content to cover, but to what end? Because reading has more impact on students’ achievement than any other activity in school, setting aside time for reading must be the first activity we teachers write on our lesson plans, not the last. It is said that we make time for what we value, and if we value reading, we must make time for it.” (The Book Whisperer p. 52)
“Even if teachers feel that letting their students read is more effective than any other practice in developing their capacity as strong readers, there is little institutional support for independent reading—that is, true independent reading without skill-based programs, comprehension tests, test practices, or incentives tied to it. There is a powerful pull from colleagues and administrators to keep doing it the old way.” (The Book Whisperer p. 168)
“It is hard to fight the culture even when what you see in your classroom every day that tells you that you are getting it right.” (The Book Whisperer p. 168)
"The best way is not to learn about reading, but to actually do it. If we don’t take all students, but particularly reluctant and struggling readers, to the library on a regular basis, then chances are that when they leave school, being a regular library patron will not be a part of their routine. Public libraries are a major equalizing factor in this nation, so how can we afford not to take students to the library?” (When Kids Can't Read: What Teachers Can Do p. 292)
“In a famous study of fifth graders, Anders, Wilson, and Fielding (1998) found a strong correlation between time spent reading and performance on standardized reading tests.” (Readicide p. 35)
"A study by the National Assessment of Educational Progress(NAEP) came to a similar conclusion. It found, ‘that students who read for fun almost every day outside of school scored higher on the NAEP assessment of reading achievement than children who read for fun only once or twice a week, who in turn outscored children who read for fun outside of school only once or twice a month, who in turn, outscored children who hardly ever or never read for fun outside of school.” (Readicide p. 52)
“To become a lifelong reader, one has to do a lot of varied and interesting reading. If students don’t read much at home, school becomes the only place where ‘lighter’ reading can take hold. When schools deprive students of the pleasures of recreational reading, we end up graduation test-takers who may never again read for pleasure.” (Readicide p. 45)
More quotes:
"More recently, in To Read or Not to Read, a study conducted by the National Endowment for the Arts (2007), researchers reached the same conclusion. Students who read the most for fun scored the highest on standardized reading tests." (Readicide p. 35)
"High interest reading is being squeezed out in favor of more test preparation practice. Interesting books are disappearing as funding is being diverted to purchase "magic pill" reading programs.Sustained silent reading time is being abandoned because it is often seen as "soft" or "nonacademic." For many students, academic reading, though incredibly important, has become their only reading." (Readicide p. 4)
"I express to my students that reading is not an add-on to the class. It is the cornerstone." (The Book Whisperer p. 50)
"We teachers have more than enough anecdotal evidence that students who read the most are the best spellers, writers, and thinkers." (The Book Whisperer p. 55)
"Are we teaching books or teaching readers? I would rather my student read books of questionable literary value than not read at all. Once students find at least one book they like and receive approval for reading books of their own choice, it is easier to move them toward books that you suggest." (The Book Whisperer p. 85)
"Reading has become schoolwork, not an activity in which students willingly engage outside of school. Teachers tie so many strings to reading that students never develop a pleasurable relationship to reading inside or, regrettably beyond the classroom." (The Book Whisperer p. 121)
"Giving students time for daily, uninterrupted, sustained silent reading is critical. Studies show that giving students as little as fifteen minutes a day for SSR can impact attitudes, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension." (When Kids Can't Read: What Teachers Can Do p. 199)
Linked are some of my favorite quotes from some of the books that I have read that started and reinforced my opinion on why I give my students time to read books of their choice in my class:
The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller
Readicide by Kelly Gallagher
When Kids Can't Read, What Teachers Can Do by Kylene Beers
Empowering Struggling Readers: Practices for the Middle Grades by Leigh Hall
You may also be interested in these links:
Lexile Scores and free reading: Click Here
First, do no harm (don't let testing ruin reading): Click Here
Why reading is a cornerstone of my class:
"In The Power of Reading, I found a total of 41 studies of the value of sustained silent reading in school. In 38 out of the 41 comparisons, readers in sustained silent reading did as well or better on tests of reading than children who spent an equivalent amount of time in traditional instruction. I found nine studies which lasted longer than one year; sustained silent reading was a winner in eight of them, and in one there was no difference." - Stephen Krashen
“ In The Power of Reading, his meta-analysis of research investigation. Stephen Krashen reveals that no single literacy activity has more positive effect on students’ comprehension, vocabulary knowledge, spelling, writing ability, and overall academic achievement than free voluntary reading.” ( from The Book Whisperer p. 51)
“ Research has thoroughly demonstrated that most English teachers teach as they were taught – not because it’s the best way but because it feels familiar and comfortable.” (Empowering Struggling Readers: Practices for the Middle Grades p. 181)
“ Sadly, education historians have found that many common instructional practices – for example, using grammar worksheets or certain literacy masterpieces in English – persist today for no other reason than habit – the way school has always been done.” (Empowering Struggling Readers: Practices for the Middle Grades p. 181)
“I hear many teachers say that they cannot set aside time for students to read because they have so much content to cover, but to what end? Because reading has more impact on students’ achievement than any other activity in school, setting aside time for reading must be the first activity we teachers write on our lesson plans, not the last. It is said that we make time for what we value, and if we value reading, we must make time for it.” (The Book Whisperer p. 52)
“Even if teachers feel that letting their students read is more effective than any other practice in developing their capacity as strong readers, there is little institutional support for independent reading—that is, true independent reading without skill-based programs, comprehension tests, test practices, or incentives tied to it. There is a powerful pull from colleagues and administrators to keep doing it the old way.” (The Book Whisperer p. 168)
“It is hard to fight the culture even when what you see in your classroom every day that tells you that you are getting it right.” (The Book Whisperer p. 168)
"The best way is not to learn about reading, but to actually do it. If we don’t take all students, but particularly reluctant and struggling readers, to the library on a regular basis, then chances are that when they leave school, being a regular library patron will not be a part of their routine. Public libraries are a major equalizing factor in this nation, so how can we afford not to take students to the library?” (When Kids Can't Read: What Teachers Can Do p. 292)
“In a famous study of fifth graders, Anders, Wilson, and Fielding (1998) found a strong correlation between time spent reading and performance on standardized reading tests.” (Readicide p. 35)
"A study by the National Assessment of Educational Progress(NAEP) came to a similar conclusion. It found, ‘that students who read for fun almost every day outside of school scored higher on the NAEP assessment of reading achievement than children who read for fun only once or twice a week, who in turn outscored children who read for fun outside of school only once or twice a month, who in turn, outscored children who hardly ever or never read for fun outside of school.” (Readicide p. 52)
“To become a lifelong reader, one has to do a lot of varied and interesting reading. If students don’t read much at home, school becomes the only place where ‘lighter’ reading can take hold. When schools deprive students of the pleasures of recreational reading, we end up graduation test-takers who may never again read for pleasure.” (Readicide p. 45)
More quotes:
"More recently, in To Read or Not to Read, a study conducted by the National Endowment for the Arts (2007), researchers reached the same conclusion. Students who read the most for fun scored the highest on standardized reading tests." (Readicide p. 35)
"High interest reading is being squeezed out in favor of more test preparation practice. Interesting books are disappearing as funding is being diverted to purchase "magic pill" reading programs.Sustained silent reading time is being abandoned because it is often seen as "soft" or "nonacademic." For many students, academic reading, though incredibly important, has become their only reading." (Readicide p. 4)
"I express to my students that reading is not an add-on to the class. It is the cornerstone." (The Book Whisperer p. 50)
"We teachers have more than enough anecdotal evidence that students who read the most are the best spellers, writers, and thinkers." (The Book Whisperer p. 55)
"Are we teaching books or teaching readers? I would rather my student read books of questionable literary value than not read at all. Once students find at least one book they like and receive approval for reading books of their own choice, it is easier to move them toward books that you suggest." (The Book Whisperer p. 85)
"Reading has become schoolwork, not an activity in which students willingly engage outside of school. Teachers tie so many strings to reading that students never develop a pleasurable relationship to reading inside or, regrettably beyond the classroom." (The Book Whisperer p. 121)
"Giving students time for daily, uninterrupted, sustained silent reading is critical. Studies show that giving students as little as fifteen minutes a day for SSR can impact attitudes, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension." (When Kids Can't Read: What Teachers Can Do p. 199)
How important are lexile scores?
See this article by Donalyn Miller.