Fostering a Reading Culture in Schools
How Do I Foster a Reading Culture at My Current School?
Hmm...well, I think I need to look at what I have experienced in the past and what other schools have done to achieve encourage and foster a reading culture. At previous high schools I've worked at, the Teacher-Librarian (TL) implemented DEAR time (Drop Everything And Read) two to three times per week for twenty minutes . At the elementary level, DEAR time was implemented daily for twenty minutes. At both levels, this was a school-wide event where both students and staff participated.
Hmm...well, I think I need to look at what I have experienced in the past and what other schools have done to achieve encourage and foster a reading culture. At previous high schools I've worked at, the Teacher-Librarian (TL) implemented DEAR time (Drop Everything And Read) two to three times per week for twenty minutes . At the elementary level, DEAR time was implemented daily for twenty minutes. At both levels, this was a school-wide event where both students and staff participated.
Some other ways to foster a reading culture that I had experience at the high school level include the implementation of book clubs and book critics. The book clubs were created for both teachers and students. In high schools, book critics would review a book they had just finished reading and share their review by posting it on the school library website. And at some of the elementary schools, I noticed that teachers had set up some sort of reward systems for reading an x number of books in a month(s), weeks etc. There had also been monthly book
draws for students and teachers at both high school and elementary schools. Staying with the elementary level, I have also witness the reading program called Razkids used with reluctant readers. These were just a few activities and tools I had experienced and observed during my time as a TOC, going from one assignment to the next within the Delta School District.
What Am I Doing In My Classroom?
In my own classroom, I have
implemented a current events activity where students search for an article
using either their devices, the classroom laptop, chromebook, desktops or
newspaper that I bring in each day. After completing this task, students then
present their article and we have a round table discussion about it. In
an effort to encourage students to read when they have no work to complete, I
have started a mini library collection in my classroom. Although, I have not
had many students utilize the mini library or the classroom desktops for that
matter; they much prefer to use their own devices for reading and/or research.
In my research I came across School District #42 (Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows), where they have implemented an Ipod and Ipad Project to develop literacy skills http://schools.sd42.ca/ipod/about/ and the result have been positive in terms of reading fluency, engagement, and attitude towards reading. It was also on this site that I came across TumbleBook Libray. This is excellent to use with reluctant and/or struggling readers as well as ELL students. I am excited to try this with the ELL students in my class. Try it out!
http://www.tumblebooklibrary.com/Home.aspx?categoryID=13
So far this is where I am at in my efforts to foster a reading culture in my classroom. I look forward to discovering new ways to energize and to get students engaged in reading for school and pleasure.
References
GCSchoolsNC, director. Drop Everything and Read. YouTube, YouTube, 3 Dec. 2013, www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGH9x4phuVs.
“10 Ways to Use Technology to Build Vocabulary.” Reading Rockets, 6 Sept. 2017, www.readingrockets.org/article/10-ways-use-technology-build-vocabulary.
“Check out Some of the Books in the Collection!” TumbleBooks - EBooks for EKids!, www.tumblebooklibrary.com/Home.aspx?categoryID.
So far this is where I am at in my efforts to foster a reading culture in my classroom. I look forward to discovering new ways to energize and to get students engaged in reading for school and pleasure.
References
GCSchoolsNC, director. Drop Everything and Read. YouTube, YouTube, 3 Dec. 2013, www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGH9x4phuVs.
“10 Ways to Use Technology to Build Vocabulary.” Reading Rockets, 6 Sept. 2017, www.readingrockets.org/article/10-ways-use-technology-build-vocabulary.
“Introduction.” SD 42 IPod Project, schools.sd42.ca/ipod/about/.
I really enjoyed the ipod project link with the use of voice memos app to record for their reading fluency.I liked how the students listened to themselves for feedback and then read the same passage later so they can hear their improvement over time. Learning A-Z's app tool is awesome; I like that there are 300 leveled e books so students are scaffolded and motivated to keep on reading. The ideas of listening to a recorded oral story and follow along on Tumbleweed is one use i was not aware of and is helpful for ELL students. Thanks for the new uses of digital tools.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to read your perspective on how to foster a love for reading, as it seems you work with high school students. I work with elementary kids, kindergarten and grade one so some of the strategies would be challenging or not possible to implement at a younger age. For example I have heard of DEAR (drop everything and read) and I think it is an amazing strategy to foster the love for reading. Unfortunately at such a young age where students are learning to read, it can be challenging. At this stage children need more support and guidance, where it would not be a quiet room like in the video you posted, there is more talking and changing books. So how can I implement DEAR?? The suggestion I could think of is having a couple of books in their desk, so they would not need to get up and talk with their peers, and maybe provide rewards as you mentioned in your post. Any other suggestion on how to you can implement DEAR at the elementary level?
DeleteI think that having students pick 2-3 books at the start of DEAR time is a great idea. I think at this stage DEAR time will be whatever it is that you have observed in your room. Yes, it will not be quiet at this young age and they may not be able to stay still. But I think that is fine, as long as students are getting exposure time to books and print media, even if it is just looking at books or flipping through the pages, they are still learning to 'read.' It is a process and it looks different at each stage.
DeleteAs the TL I am trying to do what you talked about in your first paragraph and get a reading club going for both students and adults. I have something for the adults that is simple and had one taker for the adult choice s far. I haven't decided how to proceed with the students' book club. It 's all new to everyone!
ReplyDeleteI think a little library in the classroom is a great idea. It can get expensive but once they start reading them it will be rewarding I am betting.
A good blog post with a couple of useful ideas, some interesting links, and a very engaging video. Your discussion and connections of the importance of encouraging reading will be helpful for others and your differentiation between secondary and elementary is also helpful to understand. A good blog post with an embedded video, some links, but missing 'labels' to help categorize your posts for easy storage and retrieval.
ReplyDelete