The importance of providing appropriate texts & increasing independent reading volume.
The volume of 'independent reading' taking place is crucial.
Allington suggests that “If students read for 20 minutes a day outside school, that produces 1 to 1.5 million words read each year” . (2009 p.104).
This is great news for achieving readers but troubling for struggling readers as Allington believes that, "by fourth grade struggling readers have read millions of words fewer than their achieving classmates" . (2009 p.101). |
Vital steps for increasing reading volume
Build self esteem through small achievable goals
Make reading a positive experience
Allow students to select their own texts
Make reading fun and collaborative
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
Research suggests 90–120 minutes of daily high-success reading activity in school is a minimal target (Allington, 2006).
Teachers must design interventions that dramatically increase the volume of reading that students do (Allington, 1977; 2000b).
Choose authentic, interesting texts.
Make large range of texts and print available.
Take students' interests into account when selecting texts.
Texts should be at the students independent level of reading and be able to be read with 95% accuracy to be useful in a repeated reading exercise.
Students must be provided with appropriate texts otherwise the process of fluency cannot begin (Allington, 2006).
Teachers must design interventions that dramatically increase the volume of reading that students do (Allington, 1977; 2000b).
Choose authentic, interesting texts.
Make large range of texts and print available.
Take students' interests into account when selecting texts.
Texts should be at the students independent level of reading and be able to be read with 95% accuracy to be useful in a repeated reading exercise.
Students must be provided with appropriate texts otherwise the process of fluency cannot begin (Allington, 2006).
Further readings and useful websites
- We teach we learn: 'A cautionary tale: Don't throw out your levelled libraries yet!, Text complexity and helping students learn to pick "just right" books' http://www.weteachwelearn.org/2013/02/a-cautionary-tale-dont-throw-out-your-leveled-libraries-yet-text-complexity-and-helping-students-learn-to-pick-just-right-books/
- Reading Rockets (11 activities) 'Activities for grades three through six: Encouraging the young reader' http://www.readingrockets.org/article/392/
- ‘The Lexile Framework for Reading’- assisting students to select books that will interest them, then download to IPads for use in class http://www.lexile.com/findabook/
- IPads for education – books and activities to download for classroom modelled and guided reading http://www.ipadsforeducation.vic.edu.au/education-apps/6-english
- Hiebert, E. H., & Reutzel, D. R. (2010). Revisiting silent reading: New directions for teachers and researchers. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.