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.
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ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your comments on chapter 1. Literature is very important. And fun reading should be incorporated. The statistics are not surprising that independent reading equals gains in fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. Independent reading is important and should be incorporated into the curriculum, especially since reading and writing are connected. I enjoyed the video. It is so true, students to emulate us, so we should try to be good role models each day. Honestly, at this part of my life, I don't have the desire to read as often as you do.
Meryl, overall this was an amazing post. I love that you included a video- You'll have to tell me in class how I can do that also! I don't know how the sentence "Books do change lives for the better, but you need to be a reader to engage children as readers" (p. 11) didn't stick out to me when I read it. This is extremely true. My students know I am a reader. During independent reading time, I will sit there and read with them. They need to have a strong model. They know I always have my nook on me. I also do read-alouds in class so they get exposed to some of my own favorite books- and hopefully enjoy them as much as I do.
ReplyDeleteDo you do independent reading time or read alouds in your classroom?
Your phrase really got my attention because I am a high believer on having a read aloud time everyday and also to give my students at least ten minutes of independent reading time. Selecting books randomly that the students may like and finding a quality book, might sound hard to find, but there are many books a student may enjoy. Many times students may like a book and will choose to read it for fun, but they will not make any connections to it. It’s important to have learners discuss about their stories and expose to how different and similar we all are. It makes it easier when you can find a certain book, like a book about different holidays. This can involve a discussion on differences and similarity and making a web would be a great idea for visual learners.
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned that students emulate their teachers in all ways so it is important that teacher’s model being authentic readers in their own lives. I always try to set a good example so my students can do the same. I show them how books are sectioned in certain categories, and then I share about my interests and tell them what type of books I like. Next I ask them what they would like to read about. Many will search for books and some might find a quality book. I asked one of the students, why you chose this book and she said it touched my heart. A quality book will remind a reader of a moment; it will leave a memory where the reader might want to pass the book from one generation to another, and it might have a moral behind it. When I read a quality book I can tell my students have connected. They not only sit still, but show a certain reaction through their face expressions and gestures. Some books can interest kids in a way, where they can be found laughing, crying, excited, or scared. You can look for these behaviors when you are reading a book to them or see them read a book independently. This is how I know for sure they were engaged with a quality book.
I've said this so many times, why do we stop reading aloud when kids get older? Middle schoolers need to HEAR books too!
ReplyDeleteI loved your last paragraph Meryl! So true that we need to model for our students. Students need to be aware that we as adults and teachers are still actively reading. We did a quick interest study in my 4th grade class about magazines and if any students read any or receive a subscription. It was shocking to see how few read magazines. But what shocked our students was how many magazines both myself and their general ed teacher read. We explained how we both have different interested in our magazine selection but still read some of the same magazines. While she received a lot of yoga magazines, I receive a lot of cooking magazines. Similarly, we both read Time and National Geographic! While this quick survey was simply because they were reading an article from a magazine, we hoped that accidentally we peaked some of their interest to inquire about reading magazines. Students love to hear about our personal lives and I think it is such a wonderful component of teaching to refer back to yourself when teaching mini lessons!
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