The Key to Getting Students to ReadAs a teacher for 13 years, mother of 2 teenage boys, and now librarian, I have noticed several things about students and reading. Most students are not naturally motivated to read. Simply asking or encouraging them to read is not enough. Take it from a mom who spent hours reading to my own children from the time they could sit up, all the while seeing them engaged and thinking they would naturally want to read - wrong!
Today there are so many distractions for students; there are too many other choices of things to do that probably appear much more interesting on the surface and provide more immediate gratification than reading a book would. Television with DVRs and on the spot movie retrieval, video games galore, cell phones that can do just about anything. Imagination has been suppressed by all of these things and regrettably through schooling as well. Reading a book would require some thought processing but would stimulate the brain in ways the other choices would not. Now as a second year librarian, I can happily say I have pinpointed the key to motivating students to want to read. It isn't anything magical, although I do sometimes wish I had a wand that would sprinkle "want to read" dust over my most stubborn students. It is actually something I have thought for years but wasn't able to prove until seeing it firsthand over and over again.in a place where reading is the primary goal, the library.
Children are born with incredible imaginative abilities. They are naturally creative and innovative. Parents watch in awe as their children do things that surprise them as toddlers. I remember my son at the age of 3, knowing the names of more dinosaurs than I did. It was amazing. He was able to take things apart and put them together all on his own. I couldn't wait for him to start school. Sure, they can pick out books at the library, but with 10,000 books (average school library) to choose from, where do they begin? The key to getting students to read is to find out what interests them, make those choices accessible, and allow students to read those books. Most students are not aware of the variety of books available to them. For instance, students who love to read the series Diary of a Wimpy Kid, do not realize that there are several similar series that they would enjoy even more such as Big Nate or Captain Awesome. See the article 9 Fun Reads for Fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid for more titles.
When students reach middle and high school, the chapter books available are incredibly diverse and well-written. Students want to read about characters they can relate to and they need real-life topics. See the articles below for more great ideas for inspiring students to read: |
The Wonder of Books in Imageshttps://www.pinterest.com/rosieposts/books/
Now looking back, it wasn't surprising that he didn't like school so much. He went from building with legos and Lincoln Logs.to sitting in a desk for most of the day and listening to someone speak for long periods of time. School was never difficult for my son; he did well. But he never liked going to school and although his grades were fine, he was not motivated.. The excitement I saw at home with the stacks of books we would check out from the library about dinosaurs, was never apparent with anything going on at school. He had no desire to read the textbooks that were required. The books he was forced to read, did not interest him. This lack of interest in school-related things worsened in middle school and high school. His grades were good with minimal effort and very little studying; he graduated and went on to college. By modern-day standards, he was successful.
Schools are designed to ultimately prepare students for the passing of state tests. Teachers are given large classes and a mandated curriculum, with few resources. There is little time or materials for activities that evoke the imagination and stimulate innovative ideas and thought processes. Sometimes it feels as though we are teaching our children to be robots. When school begins, the excitement of learning seems to dwindle slowly over time. This thought goes hand in hand with reading. In school, reading is mostly prescribed. Students have very little choice in what they read, at least in the classroom. |
Young Adult Books About Illness
There are many young adult themes to explore and you may be surprised that there is a whole lot more out there to choose from outside of dystopias. The topic here is one that we all experience. |
Creative Ways to Promote Young Adult Literature to Teenagers
Promoting literature to young adults may seem like a daunting task, however, it can be simple and effective with a few innovative strategies. Try these out. |
The 7 Characteristics of the Best Young Adult Literature
College textbook authors Nilsen and Donelson explain these 7 important characteristics of good young adult literature in their textbook, Literature for Today's Young Adults. Here is my take. |
Why Children Should Read More
It is important for children to read for numerous reasons. In order for them to be successful in our world today, they must be able to read well. |
Organizing Your Collection
Creating an organized library space in any room can pose quite a challenge. If you like to keep a large number of books, and have limited space, you will need some tips to get you started and help you to complete the job successfully. Organizing your collection will be the first thing you will need to do. Books can be organized in several different ways. They can be grouped be genre: fiction/fantasy, nonfiction, mystery, informational, and so on. They can also be grouped by author should you have large collections of books by specific authors. Books can even be grouped by size, color, hardcover, or paperback. You may even want to cover some or all of your books with specific colors to create a color-coded organization system. Whichever way you choose to organize your collection, it should be one that is easy for you to use. A combination of ways can be very effective, if you have an eclectic collection of books. Your system should provide you with a pleasing display and allow you to find books quickly and with ease. Weed Out Books You Are Never Going to Read Before organizing your personal collection of books, carefully look through all of them. Get rid of the ones you know you will never read. These will only take up needed space. You can always offer them to friends or donate them. Determine which books are in need of replacement; they may be dated and no longer applicable, or they may be damaged. Unwanted and even damaged books can always be donated to Goodwill for others who may enjoy reading them or find a use for them. Determining How to Display Your Collection There are several ways to display your reading collection that are both eye-appealing and practical. Below is a list of items that can be used to help you in this endeavor.
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