Reading posture? This one just might rub you the wrong way, especially if your focus is drawn to the woman laying down before the cozy fire with a glass of wine and an engaging book. However, back in class…
Reading posture does affect attention and comprehension. It is one of those over-looked skills that must be taught, not caught. Of course I agree with setting listening expectations when playing an audio book or doing a read-aloud in class; however, I certainly recommend starting with a cogent rationale to avoid students’ perceptions that your “rules” are simply old-school arbitrary.
I start with body language and a bit of humor. Students mostly buy-in to fact that their body positions influence attitudes. A few role plays, such as a student showing or not showing interest in another student helps convinces most. Add examples contrasting engagement and disengagement. Active always wins out over passive.
The next step is to make the connection to reading posture. Start by sharing three guidelines.
1. Place two hands on the reading to keep the head up and facilitate page-turning.
2. Keep the distance from eyes to book about the same distance as that of your forearm. Talk importance of field of vision. Note students for whom this is uncomfortable and talk optometrist as needed.
3. Don’t angle the book too much so that you can keep your head straight. Modeling a head angled while riding an e-bike gets a laugh and drives home the point.
Now I will readily admit that initial student buy-in to these three guidelines does not immediately change student behavior. Students can be notoriously stubborn about letting go of old habits. And the “What works for you doesn’t work for me” truism is a hard nut to crack. However, practice does prove the point and can create new habits.
I’ll leave the reading posture advice with two more tidbits:
4. As an add to #3 book angling, show how slightly slanting a phone or book makes text much more readable. As I am reading back this post, my phone is slanted on my eyeglass case (one of those foldable kinds). So much easier to read than when the phone is flat! Of course a book or binder underneath the book students are reading in or out of class does the trick.
5. Students will resist this last one, but it can do wonders for student reading engagement, whether doing so independently or along with an audio book or teacher read-aloud. Two hands on the book (#1), but the dominant hand paces underneath the text. Two requisites: #4 book slanted to facilitate reading above the hand and three fingers “glued” together to provide a line, rather than finger-pointing. Yes, index cards and rulers work, but “your hand is always with you.”…..
Lastly, I assure students that I don’t always apply # s 1-5 when I read. I read, laying down in bed, every night before I go to sleep for fun and to make myself drowsy. However, these serve different purposes than reading for work or school.
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Teaching Grammar, Usage and Mechanics
Grade-level lessons, remedial worksheets keyed to the diagnostic assessments, and unit tests. $49.99 per grade, licensed per teacher.
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Mark Pennington, M.A. Reading Specialist
Thirty-six years teaching ELA and reading, elementary through community college, plus district reading specialist. He wrote every program on this site.
