Mention an Independent Reading assignment, and the reaction is likely to be an eye roll and an ugh . . . and that's from the teachers.
As an 8th grade English teacher, I felt more like an enforcer than a teacher when it came to Independent Reading. Reading logs—ha! Make them too detailed and the logs are a nightmare for the child, parent, and teacher. Book reports—been there and done that.
Finding the balance between accountability and promoting a love of reading was a tightrope walk.
How can we make sure middle school students are doing the assigned reading while making it fun?
While working on my Capstone Research project on Promoting Adolescent Literacy, I uncovered an article that tapped into the social-emotional aspects of middle-school students.
Choice
- Students need to have the freedom to choose their own books. However, reluctant readers often need guidance in selecting a book they will like. Start a dialogue about their interests. Have classmates make suggestions. Create a bulletin board: The Best Book I Ever Read.
Social Opportunities
- Teens are social creatures, so by incorporating social activities into the reading, teachers can promote a love of reading. Small group discussions combined with a snack can make reading fun. Students often recommend books to each other, which is more powerful than an adult saying, "Here. Read this." An added bonus is improved speaking, listening, and writing skills!
Parent cooperation
- Parents need to be in the loop. Their main role is to make sure their child has time to read. Extracurricular activities and technology dominate families' lives. A graphic showing parents the number of hours their child spends participating in extracurricular activities vs. their time spent reading is an eye-opener.
Painless Accountability
Making sure students are actually reading can be burdensome for both students and teachers. Reading logs don't tell us much about what the student is actually comprehending.
Finding the right balance between accountability and reading enjoyment can be a challenge.
Book Bistro is the perfect activity for middle schoolers. It fosters a love of reading while keeping kids accountable. It taps into their social nature.
With Book Bistro, students choose a book to read independently. As they read, they complete a brief, two-page assignment to use for the basis of their book discussion.
They are accountable but not burdened.
On or shortly after the due date, students sit in assigned groups (3 students is ideal) and discuss their books. They can be grouped by genre with similar genres together, or you can have a variety of genres in each group.
With Book Bistro, students choose a book to read independently. As they read, they complete a brief, two-page assignment to use for the basis of their book discussion.
They are accountable but not burdened.
On or shortly after the due date, students sit in assigned groups (3 students is ideal) and discuss their books. They can be grouped by genre with similar genres together, or you can have a variety of genres in each group.
This is also a great activity for summer reading at the beginning of the year. You can find it on Teachers Pay Teachers: Literacy Toolbox
Resources for Book Recommendations for Middle School
Good Reads
Scholastic
WeAreTeachers
Book Bistro Independent Reading Activity
© 2018 Literacy Toolbox by Linda Ricci. All Rights Reserved.
