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Book Selection in a Summer Reading Program
Book Selection in a Summer Reading Program
The research suggests:
The research suggests:
It is critical for readers to have opportunities to self-select texts.
Suggestion for implementation:
Suggestion for implementation:
At Clear Lake's summer reading program, students have the opportunity to select five texts independently, with support from parents or teachers as needed. Three of these texts are chosen from a leveled bin (see below), and the other two books are any texts of the child's choosing.
The research suggests:
The research suggests:
Students demonstrate the most growth when reading books at or slightly above their individual reading levels. However, the practice of sharing reading levels with readers can be disempowering, particularly for those who are struggling.
Suggestion for implementation:
Suggestion for implementation:
At Clear Lake Elementary, we decided to organize books within a band, or range, of levels. Rather than organizing by letters or numbers, we used a color-coded system. Each of the nine colored bins include books from four guided reading levels. For example, a student who is reading at an instructional level C would choose from the red bin, which includes levels A-D. That way, the child has opportunities to read easier texts and build fluency, but will also be exposed to some slightly more difficult texts, which will allow for some self-teaching.
While the red bin includes levels A-D, the purple bin includes levels D-G. A child reading at an instructional level D could start out by choosing two books from the red bin and one from the purple, gradually increasing until all three books are from the purple bin. This practice allows students to increase the text difficulty over time.
The research suggests:
The research suggests:
Students' engagement and feelings of empowerment increase when they are allowed to choose books based on their own interests.
Suggestion for implementation:
Suggestion for implementation:
There should be a variety of books available at a summer reading program for students select from. At Clear Lake Elementary, we were intentional about selecting books that represented many different cultures, and a variety of child-friendly interests and topics. Some of these categories included bilingual books, graphic novels, Star Wars books, and picture books with popular characters (Pete the Cat and Fancy Nancy).
See this page for additional suggestions for choosing books to purchase for a summer reading program.
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