What day last week did you choose to do a worksheet to practice something you had learned? (That's what I thought!)
If we, as adults, would not choose these two "literacy" activities, how do we expect our students to become engaged with them. Are we practicing a "do as I say, not as I do" type of teaching? It's time to make reading more meaningful for our class. Step away from the basal, back off the worksheets and inject some real reading into your reading class!
*Let your students read "real" books. Get them book baskets, tubs, bags, etc. and let them select good fit books to go in them. Your students will be excited to have choice. Give them time every day to read, read, read. In fact maximize their reading by training them to pick up a book when they free time at school. (I say train them because most will not inherently pick up a book from the get-go, you will have to model and set the procedures.) Ditch the warm-ups and fillers for reading real books. Stop putting up walls of "what to do when you are finished" ideas and have them read. Think of how many more minutes of reading your class could squeeze in each day if you did this!
Ways to get books to your kids...
*Incorporate different types of reading into your room. (Internet articles, newspapers, magazines, comics, cartoons, anime, kid created work, etc.) Think of it as a buffet, and what child doesn't get excited by a buffet-all those choices!
Article a Day resource
*Stop beating them over the head with the basal. I realize some districts require the use of basal but be selective when using it. Pick out the best stories to teach the most relevant strategies for your class. Do not do every page, do not ask every recommended question, do not do all those worksheets! If you teach a strategy using the basal, have them practice the strategy with a book of their choice. The goal should for all should be practical application.
Basal Programs
*Incorporate reading clubs. Reading clubs are for students at or near the same level, who share the similar interests. Reading clubs are different than book clubs in that students may or may not read the same exact text. Children collaborate together on the work and spend time discussing the reading material. The teacher spends time conferring with groups or partnerships to get a real glimpse at comprehension.
*Make your assessment formative and applicable. The purpose of formative instruction is to quickly assess, get immediate feedback, and adjust instruction accordingly. Formative assessment is meant to encourage students to apply, analyze, and think critically about the material. A fill-in the blank worksheet does not accomplish the same thing! For examples of formative assessment check out the links below:
Examples of Formative Assessment
Samples of Formative Assessment
NWEA-Formative Assessment Ideas
Reading is fun when reading is real to children. After all our ultimate goal is to create lifelong learners and deep thinkers.
