My Students Won’t Read
My students won’t read. What should I do? I provide class time for self-selected independent reading. I model reading and talk about the joys of reading. I share and have other students share what they are reading. The school librarian is my best friend. I read out loud all the time. I encourage parents to buy books for their children. We create a literate class environment. We model the importance and relevance of our own reading. We provide plenty of high interest books and other print media at students’ approximate reading levels to accommodate free choice, yet challenge them appropriately. We provide the time for them to read and discuss what they are reading. But, they aren’t reading. They’re staring at pages. They’re daydreaming. Yes, I’ve read The Book Whisperer.
As teachers, we all know the benefits of independent reading for our students. HOWEVER, as a reading specialist and dad of three reluctant readers, at points you have to “make them an offer they can’t refuse.” The benefits of involuntary reading outweigh those of not reading. These kids who refuse to read are making a choice, but as their teacher, you provide the options. Doing nothing is not an acceptable option.
What Not to Do
Please don’t adopt the cop-out philosophy that “Every student has the freedom to fail.” Not on your watch! Not when you’re accepting a monthly paycheck, albeit meager, to teach all your students. Don’t give up on any student. Care for that kid.
I am going to suggest that you abandon the widely-accepted and promoted notion that independent reading must be done in class. Class time is reductive. You add this and you have to take away that. Don’t use valuable and limited class time for independent reading. Independent reading is independent. It does not require a teacher. Don’t buy in to the excuses.
What to Do
I suggest assigning a book to these kids with chapter questions. Students must answer them turn in at the start of the next class. Make sure that parents know why you’ve assigned this option (high school teachers often ignore getting parents on board). For frosh and soph I would ask parents to sign answers each day, indicating that they have discussed the daily reading with their child.
Also, I would use grade hooks as motivation (plenty of ways to structure this and get admin/parent support) or provide time outside of your class time for students to finish questions if they didn’t have time at home to do so.
Upon completing the book, the choice is reinstated. I’ve found that quite a few will opt to continue with the assigned books/question option.
BTW… this accountability will not scar students and prevent them from becoming lifelong readers. My reluctant reader sons, now adults, have the reading skills they need to thrive in the workplace and books are always on their birthday and Christmas lists.
I do have a few suggestions regarding independent reading and accountability. First, unlike many teachers and reputed “whisperers,” I do not advocate independent reading in class. Reasons? 1. It takes away from instructional time. 2. The class environment is rarely conducive to reading out loud or quietly. 3. Without accountability, which would necessitate even more time, too many students don’t read. 4. I don’t think it develops the “life-long joy of reading” that many free-choice advocates claim. 5. There is a better alternative.
The alternative that I’ve found to work well is independent reading homework. I developed a “program” of sorts and used it for years with middle school students and my own children. Advantages? 1. You will know that students are reading. 2. You have some measure of control over texts (and can ensure that text complexity is part of the reading diet) 3. You can be assured that reading strategies are being practiced and vocabulary acquisition is robust. 4. This “program” requires no correction or accountability on the teacher’s part.
Disadvantages? You have to become your school’s foremost literacy advocate and run afoul of some school norms and family cultures. Creating a literate household (other than your own) in which independent reading thrives is challenging and your principal will get some complaints. Definitely wait until you are tenured… oops now leaves out a few states. Sounds like “trouble?” Yep, “good trouble.”
I flesh out how to set up independent reading homework in this article: https://blog.penningtonpublishing.com/reading/independent-reading-homework/
The Science of Reading Intervention Program
The Science of Reading Intervention Program: Word Recognition includes explicit, scripted instruction and practice with the 5 Daily Google Slide Activities every reading intervention student needs: 1. Phonemic Awareness and Morphology 2. Blending, Segmenting, and Spelling 3. Sounds and Spellings (including handwriting) 4. Heart Words Practice 5. Sam and Friends Phonics Books (decodables). Plus, digital and printable sound wall cards and speech articulation songs. Print versions are available for all activities. First Half of the Year Program (55 minutes-per-day, 18 weeks)
The Science of Reading Intervention Program: Language Comprehension resources are designed for students who have completed the word recognition program or have demonstrated basic mastery of the alphabetic code and can read with some degree of fluency. The program features the 5 Weekly Language Comprehension Activities: 1. Background Knowledge Mentor Texts 2. Academic Language, Greek and Latin Morphology, Figures of Speech, Connotations, Multiple Meaning Words 3. Syntax in Reading 4. Reading Comprehension Strategies 5. Literacy Knowledge (Narrative and Expository). Second Half of the Year Program (30 minutes-per-day, 18 weeks)
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