Independent reading program?

Question

I need to revise my independent reading program for my 7th grade classroom. Any ideas?

I have tried a number of things but nothing seems to work. My students are not internally motivated to read. They do not care about the importance or benefits of reading. I don't want to bribe them to be readers. I just need some suggestions to help me get a program started. thanks!

Answer 1

How about novels read in the classroom?  I work in an urban middle school, and many of our kids do not like to read and are not good readers. We got class sets of some books in the Bluford Series. These are books set in an urban high school, and are about high schoolers, but are written at a lower level. The kids beg to read them every day, and even come to the library to check out other books in the series. You might look into something like that - not necessarily those books, but something else that is interesting to them and has a little bit lower readability. Reading it as a class alsoo would help those whose reading skills/level isn't up to par with the rest of the class.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

The problem you have stems from the fact that independent reading has to compete with the television, computer, and game consoles. When your kids go home, they don't want to read not just because they don't understand why reading is so important, but because their favorite television show is on, or they have one level left in their adventure game, or their friend is coming over to play guitar hero with them. It never ends.

While I've never had a problem with this, being an avid reader myself, I do remember a lesson that a teacher once gave me. She stood up in the front of a noisy class and said, very quietly, that before television and the internet, everyone read books for fun. And because it's been around for hundreds of years--writing, that is--people have gotten really, really good at it. And there are some really, really good books out there, waiting for you to find them. Then she wrote down a list of her favorite books, and a list of books she wanted to read, and told us that one day you might turn around and realize that the books you want to read so vastly outnumber the books you've read, and isn't that such a shame? Shouldn't you get started now, to try and get a head start?

The lesson continued with a history of the novel and excerpts from stories that are famous for their popular adaptations.

While I don't think you have to bribe students to read in the sense that you have to award them for doing so, I do think that you might want to take the time (if the class is small enough) to compile individual recommendations and start from there. If a student likes reading one book, maybe they'll be more likely to pick another one that you recommend. And then another.

Answer 4

You might already have tried this but how about getting them to read ANYTHING. Ranging from instructions to make origami birds to comics. Might not be literature but at least it is a start.

You probably already do this but always have a really really good book on the go with the class - one which grips them into listening. That way they are hearing great stories and might be inspired to read themselves. I am not sure if they are too old for this one but The Indian in Cupboard is a good one for reading to the class. There are more books in the series so that might inspire a few to read more if they like it. What about those Point Horror type stories - again not 'great literature' but if it gets them reading then thats better then nothing.

If each member of the class has their own reading box (cereal box cut in half and decorated by the student) then you could add articles, books, info leaflets - ANYTHING into them individualised to that child and their interests....... if they love skating and there is a skate comp on in town and fliers are being handed out stick one into the interested kids boxes, an article about marine biology in the paper and there is a child in the class interested in that cut it out and stick it in her/his box, a good book you think a student might like again stick it in their box. I bet they will love the individualisation of that approach and also they will be keen to read if those things interest them. Maybe even if they are showing an interest in something like being a vet you could send off for a prospectus for a uni course in it for that child to look through - just so they can see what is out there and that through reading you can find the info.........

Might be quite fun and a great way to connect with the class to.