Interest: Student Choice and Access to Many Books
Many children who struggle to read dislike reading. Reading quickly becomes a tiring, pain-staking task because of the mental attention it requires for emerging readers to both sound out (decode) words and understand (comprehend) the text simultaneously. However, once readers can recognize many words “at-a-glance,” decoding becomes automatic, they can begin to enjoy reading and will discover its many pleasures!
Practice, Practice, Practice
Practice is essential for readers to move past deliberate decoding and achieve reading fluency, just as athletes or musicians must practice over and over again to achieve fluency in their respective fields. Unfortunately, striving readers often avoid reading and therefore don’t get enough repeated exposure to words to be able to identify them automatically and eventually break through to reading fluency. These readers become stuck in the negative side of a vicious circle known as the “Matthew Effect,” where “the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.”
Student Choice
One powerful way to avoid entering the downward spiral in achievement mentioned above is to appeal to children’s interests and allow them some choice in what they read. Research has shown that “When children are given opportunities to choose what they read, they read more, read longer, and better understand what they have read.” Keep in mind that there are many types of print e.g., books, magazines, comics, manuals, newspapers, recipes, atlas, letters, etc. Encouraging students to read extensively on a single topic or genre has also shown to be effective in bolstering reading skills.
One of my favorite parts of teaching language arts is observing my students as they browse and select books in the library. It is a wonderful way for me to get to know my students, and I am always amazed at their uniqueness. Allowing children access to many books and giving them the freedom to choose their own reading material, at least some of the time, is critical to increasing their reading volume and fluency.
Access to Many Books and Other Types of Text
Encourage your child to visit the library (school and community) on a regular basis and to reach out to the librarian on staff to lend a helping hand. The librarian can help readers navigate the library and discover new authors and books. Below is a link to the Westmoreland Library Network, where readers in Westmoreland County can learn how to obtain a library card, check out and renew books, download e-books and e-audiobooks, learn about exciting events, join discussion groups, and more. Providing audiobooks and reading to your child are additional ways that readers access literature that is above their reading level. Although it doesn’t replace reading, listening to read alouds is a fantastic way for readers to acquire new vocabulary, improve comprehension and fully participate in our literary heritage.
https://www.wlnonline.org