"What I've Learned About Effective Reading Instruction" emphasized the importance of exemplary teachers in the classroom. One point I found very interesting is the need for teachers to give students options. When students are reading something they enjoy and are interested in, they are found to become much more successful readers. My favorite language arts teachers in the past had always given students choices on what books to read each day and always gave us a lot of reading time. What is a good amount of time to spend reading in the classroom each day? Classrooms That Work addressed the importance of reading aloud to the class, another fond memory of mine from elementary school. Read aloud is a great way to start class discussions and go over things like comprehension, main ideas, and details.
One of the readings suggested that 20 minutes should be allotted every day for independent reading and I agree. I think that it is just enough time for students to read books that they enjoy and it gives them a chance to take a "break" from classroom instruction.
ReplyDeleteI also found the suggestion of providing students with options valuable. This is a crucial point in that we, as teachers, must encourage and motivate children the best we can. We need to get them fired up about reading. Each child has his or her own specific interests and we must identify thoughs interests and suggest reading materials that compliment them. I need to be aware of my tendency towards realistic fiction and be sure and expose children to fantasies, mysteries, science fiction, non-fiction, and historical material.
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