What is it?

Ensuring students have access to books (print & digital) that represent a wide range of characters and experiences is key to future academic success.

Research Statement

Access to a wide collection of books within the classroom has been shown to result in increased reading volume, achievement, and motivation (Allington, 2014; Kelley & McClausen-Grace, 2010; Neuman, 1999).

Resource Considerations

• Create a reading nook- Consider including a cozy chair,/bean bag, a blanket, and a lamp

• Develop a home library that includes a variety of texts (print & digital)

  • Teaching Tolerance- Student Texts

  • YALSA Teen Book Finder App

  • NC Free Text Sets Example

  • Teen Book Cloud

  • Time for Kids- Free digital library

  • Junior Library Guild- Free Access to digital library

  • CommonLit-authentic, complex texts across grade levels.

  • Sync Audiobooks- free audiobooks for teens

• Visit your local library (face-to-face and/or virtually) to sign-up for a library card and gain access to books.

• Let your students listen to books being read aloud

  • Audible

  • Indianapolis Public Library

• Build a love for reading as a family

  • Attend virtual events

  • Create family challenges focused on reading

What is it?

By developing agency, students utilize effective strategies and cultivate positive attitudes that help them navigate barriers to success in and out of the classroom (Raikes Foundation, 2012).

Research Statement

By developing agency, students utilize effective strategies and cultivate positive attitudes that help them navigate barriers to success in and out of the classroom (Raikes Foundation, 2012).

Resource Considerations

• Be a model for students to cultivate a love of reading. ReadWriteThink offers tips for supporting literacy learning at home.

• Let students choose their books

  • Tips on helping teens choose a book

  • Choices list from International Literacy Association

• Provide high-interest, popular culture texts

  • Check out recommendations from your local library

  • Teaching Tolerance Student Texts

• Have students listen to book talks in order to find books that may interest them

• Use note- taking strategies such as sketchnoting to track thinking while reading

What is it?

Reading stamina is the ability to focus and read independently for a period of time and grows over time.

Research Statement

“Time spent reading, including reading silently, has consistently correlated strongly with reading achievement.” (Reutzel & Juth, 2014, p. 29)

The recommended amount of time of individual reading sessions ranges from 15 to 30 minutes (Block & Magieri, 2002; Pilgreen, 2000; Reutzel and Juth, 2014) or at least 20 minutes—as long as is adequate for students to get into their books and maintain their own reading stamina (Willingham, 2015),

Resource Considerations

• Set reading goals- consider adopting the 40 book challenge in a year.

• Listen to your student read to ensure they are reading a book at their level. Ask them about the meaning of what they are reading and what they like/dislike about the text.

• Partner Read

• Keep a reading log and discuss trends with your child.

• Set a manageable time to read and gradually increase over time. Ask your student, “What is 1 thing I did to build my stamina?” and “Next time, I will work on…”

• Encourage students to use reading strategies before, during and after reading.

  • Example of strategies from AdLit

• Parents/caregivers should model reading for their child. NCTE provides tips for modeling good reading habits.

What is it?

Having conversations about reading can develop reading comprehension and support critical th inking and language skills. Talking about reading also encourages the habit of lifelong reading.

Research Statement

Today we know that even 10 minutes of talk around texts can enhance achievement (Nystrand, 2006).

Resource Considerations

• Watch & discuss short documentaries together

• Read & discuss books together

• Ask questions before, during and after reading.

  • Potential questions to guide the conversation.

• Have students create digital book talks to share what they are reading. Challenge students to create a 30 second book talk using a digital tool such as FlipGrid.

  • Flipgrid Remote Learning Guide

• Have students share what they are reading and track progress over time using digital tools such FlipGrid, BookCreator, Padlet, other apps.