With a firm belief, in the fundamental importance of reading for academic success, enabling life-long learning and personal enrichment this PLC explored what practical strategies can impact our students’ reading habits and create a strong culture of reading at IICS.
“Adolescents entering the adult world in the 21st C will need to read and write more than at any other time in human history. They will need advanced levels of literacy to do their jobs, act as citizens and conduct their personal lives. They will need literacy to cope with the flood of information they will find everywhere they turn. They will need literacy to feed their imaginations, so they can create the world of the future.
– International Reading Association (Moore et al1999)
Given that reading is so important to success at every level it would seem an important priority to focus on how we as a school can support students in becoming habitual and eager readers. The beautifully-crafted speech written by Neil Gaiman – Guardian article: Why our future depends on libraries, reading and daydreaming presents a compelling argument for enabling children to read for pleasure –and to allow them to choose what they read. Research into reading habits demonstrate that choice, interest and motivation are highly related – ‘Surveys internationally suggest most children are more likely to read for pleasure if they can choose their own books” (Gambrell 1996)
“ To discover that reading per se is pleasurable. Once you learn that, you’re on the road to reading everything. And reading is a key…. “
– Neil Gaiman
The team defined the features of the ideal culture of reading as;
- Reading is valued by staff students and families
- Reading is prioritized as a way of living – time is allotted in and outside of school
- Reading choices are driven by personal interests
- Reading habits are modeled
- Reading is visibly shared through meaningful and authentic ways
- Reading is celebrated
The PLC discussed the opportunities and barriers to children reading independently and conducted a survey of students and teachers at IICS to
explore this in our own context. As part of ‘Love Reading Week’ they established a daily DEAR time; responses to this initiative were recorded in the survey.
They also explored other resources and practice that might support students becoming avid readers and build a culture of independent reading at IICS. They found the work of Donalyn Miller and Susan Kelley especially helpful in identifying specific habits common to lifelong readers and how teachers can help students develop them.
They experimented with new ways to develop these habits including:
Speed Book chats
Students prepared a short elevator pitch for their favorite book and moved round the circle sharing their review with each new partner.
Assembly Book talks
As part of the regular assembly agenda one or two students presented a compelling ‘sales pitch’ for a book they have read and would like to share.
Acting ideas from students, teachers help them organize themselves into smaller groups based common genre interests as another way to share reading recommendations.
Community reading vine
Parents, teachers, local staff, grandparents, friends and students were encouraged to bring in photos of themselves reading their current book, the pictures were displayed as part of an IICS reading vine which grew around the main entrance as photos were added.
“ Once you’ve visited other worlds, like those who ate fairy fruit, you can never be entirely content with the world that you grew up in. improve their worlds, leave them better, leave them different.”
– Neil Gaiman
Outcomes
There have been a number of indicators of success of this project including increased borrowing from the library, the emergence of staff book groups , the success of the grade 5&6 ‘satellite library and student feedback…
The results of the reading survey – reflecting research in this field – identified the key reason for participants, (teachers and students), for not reading was lack of time.
The survey also indicated a high level of support for the idea of having DEAR time as part of the school schedule. (76.9%) Interestingly, a comparision of MAP scores between two grade 8 classes – one which participated in a DEAR style independent reading program and one that did not – shows a greater level of progress for the former group. This does not provide proof of efficacy of course but certainly validated the practice as worthy of further exploration.
These findings prompted a discussion with the school leadership team about how this could be implemented for the next school year. Ideas about how this time can be made as effective as possible were discussed including ensuring that time for discussion of the reading was included, that effort was made to communicate why this practice can be valuable and by providing support and training to all staff involved.
It was agreed that both secondary and Primary would trial a DEAR program twice per week, worked within their individual schedules.
If you only have time to read one article to inspire yourself as a facilitator of lifelong readers: Reading For Pleasure – A Door to Success
Staff members already hooked on reading might like to check out the following books:
Further resources to support reading :
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