Chapter 2 and Interest Surveys

         I teach Language Arts to two fourth grade classes this year. That means that I have 40+ readers. They run the gamut from struggling readers, to below-grade level readers, enthusiastic readers, and truly resistant readers. Many of my resistant readers are struggling learners whether it be due to a diagnosed disability, lack of English language, or poor decoding skills, but the resistant readers I find to be the most challenging are those "who can read but chose not to." I selected a reader like this in my class named Danny* and I know that to help him and other readers like him I must "know books as well as [the] reader in order to find just the right books for them" (Short et al., 2014, p. 26).
       
      Through observation I have noticed that Danny has some trouble focusing and at times during independent reading can be found gesturing to his friends in order to make them laugh. After about 3 weeks of school he has only finished one book despite the fact that we have at least 20 minutes of independent reading time in class each day and students are asked to read for another 25 minutes each night at home. He has never expressed a dislike for reading, but it seems to him to be more of a chore than something he enjoys. His behaviors during reading made him a prime candidate in my mind to get to know as a reader through the use of an interest survey.

      What shocked me right off the bat is that without hesitation Danny circled "YES" for the first question which asked "Do you like to read?" When I asked him to elaborate he matter of fact-ly told me that he has no problem with reading. What he does not like is when he is asked to respond to his book whether it be in the form of a post-it or discussing his reading with a partner. We then began to work on the questions related to specific books and he kept coming back to the Goosebumps series by R.L Stein. He shared that he liked them because they could be "really intense, scary, and suspenseful." The classroom library has many Goosebumps books and Danny was reading one at the time of the survey.

     What I did not find surprising based on his behavior was Danny's response to one of the last questions on the survey. Danny wrote "I read best when it is quiet and I am alone with no distractions." It was great to see that Danny has the self-awareness to know that he gets easily distracted, but this worries me as an educator because the classroom is almost eerily quiet and if he is still distracted I need to be doing something more for him. Engaging him in the right type of book may be the first of many steps to supporting him as a reader. Here are some of my recommendations for Danny based on his interest survey and response to read aloud texts in the classroom:

Donbavand, T. (2008). Scream Street: Fang of the Vampire. Somerville: Massachusetts. Candlewick Press. 

Klise, K. (2010). Dying to Meet You. New York: New York. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Almond, D. (2001). Skellig. New York: New York. Laurel Leaf.

Birney, B. (2005). The World According to Humphrey. New York: New York. Penguin Young Readers Group.

Horowitz, Anthony. (2006). horowitz Horror: Stories You'll Wish You'd Never Read. New York: New York. Philomel Books.

Chapter 1: Learning About Story and Literature

While it may seem obvious, the word I would use to encompass this first chapter is literature. Too often as teachers I think we consider time students spend doing any reading to be beneficial but Kathy Short, Carol Lynch-Brown, and Carl Tomlinson (2014) clarify that literature is specifically written to "illuminate what it means to be human and make accessible the most fundamental experiences of life" (p. 4). Books are not solely written to teach about a specific topic such as Asia or Albert Einstein. Literature can have value in itself due to its ability to provide enjoyment, develop a reader's personal and cultural identity, awaken his/her imagination, and teach interpersonal skills such as empathy (p.7-8). Using literature appropriately in the classroom is one of the most powerful tools teachers have to shape students and build a foundation.

 

The merits of using literature in the classroom are explored extensively in this chapter and it is hard to argue against its use. However, many teachers may be wondering how best to make literature a part of the classroom. The phrase that describes how the authors respond to this inquiry is a balance of read alouds and independent reading. The authors pull from the study Becoming a Nation of Readers when they share that "the single most important activity for building the knowledge required for eventual success in reading is reading aloud to children"(p.8). Listening to literature also has positive impact on language development and helps the nonreader begin the quest towards becoming a reader (p. 9). Kate DiCamillo, renowned children's author, explores these benefits and her personal experiences with books read aloud. 

The report also places equal importance on independent reading which is cited to result in the "greatest gains in vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension" (p.8). Students learn to love reading when they are given the choice choosing their books and an ability to discuss their independent reading with others. A study of elementary children by Leinhardt, Zigmond, and Cooley concluded that "the amount of time children spend reading silently in school is associated with their year-to-year gains in reading achievement" (p.9). Reading is also a complimentary skill to writing so by reading more texts independently students are hopefully absorbing skills and techniques to use in their own writing. Both formats of reading instruction are beneficial to students, and thus, especially during the elementary school years, it is critical that the classroom dedicates time to both. 

Finally, students emulate their teachers in all ways so it is important that teachers model being authentic readers in their own lives. As the authors say "Books do change lives for the better, but you need to be a reader to engage children as readers" (p. 11). Many studies show that reading levels dip as readers leave their formal schooling, especially reading for pleasure. As teachers we must genuinely commit ourselves to reading books outside of our classroom and graduate program. I personally have set a goal of one pleasure book per week. I find myself referencing my reading habits to my students as I teach mini lessons and using my own experiences as a reader to connect with them during conferences and small groups. It is much easier to sell readers on the value of reading if we are practicing what we preach.