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

• Develop a home library with a variety of texts & create a reading nook

  • Tips for Creating a library at home

  • Examples of Materials you might include in a home library

  • Maya's Book Nook- inclusive book suggestions

• Use Start with a Book for recommendations and activities to deepen understanding.

• Reading Beyond: Advanced Reader List from the American Library Association

• Students should be reading texts at their independent reading level. Potential resources to find books:

  • Epic- Digital Library for Kids 12 and under

  • Rivet

  • International Children’s Library

  • Check your local library for recommendations

• Let your students listen to books being read aloud

  • Read to them - Routine in English/Spanish

  • Digital Read-Alouds

  • Just Books Read Aloud

  • Indianapolis Public Library

  • Daily Book Bites

• Build a love for reading as a family

  • Attend virtual events

  • Create family challenges focused on reading

What is it?

Agency refers to learning through activities that are meaningful and relevant to learners, driven by their interests, and often self-initiated with appropriate guidance from teachers/parents.

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

• Find out what your child is doing well and where they may need help.

  • Readiness Check

• Monitor understanding while reading by using comprehension strategies

• Create routines to support reading, such as jotting down notes and/or sketches while reading.

• Give students choice of authors they read, ,types of genre ,interests, and how they access (digital vs non-digital)

  • Start with a book

  • Reading Lists from International Literacy Associations

• Help students find books that they will enjoy, such as books on topics that interest them (i.e., animals, sports, mysteries), different book series, books by a favorite author, etc. Your school and public library can be a valuable resource for information about books on different topics and about various book series.

  • Consider using an Interest Inventory to help students determine what they like to read

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

• General recommendations for building stamina from Reading Rockets

• Create a plan and set goals. Build up to at least 20 minutes a day of reading with a variety of texts.

• Celebrate, celebrate, celebrate! Every time your child meets a reading goal focused on increased reading time, celebrate the achievement.

• Help your student identify a book that is just right for them using . Example of Choosing the Right Book

• Vary the way reading is done: "read to himself/herself, read to someone, and listen to reading."

What is it?

Having conversations about reading can develop reading comprehension and support critical thinking 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

• Ask your student open-ended questions about a variety of texts:

  • Talking Tips

  • Reading for Meaning with your child

  • Reading Question Stems

• Create a family reading journal to chart progress and conversations over time.

• Receive weekly text messages that include tips to keep reading and discussing

  • Summer Learning Tips to Go- Weekly Text Messages

• Have students share what they are reading using tools such as Seesaw.