Jen Wood KIDS/Regional Office of Education Spring 2012

 Did you struggle?  What motivated you to read when in school?  Did you read assigned reading?  Did you come from a family of readers?  Are you an active reader now?

 What is your favorite book?  What have you read recently- last 3?  When do you read?  Do you read all genres?  What guides your choices?  How do you pick your books? It’s important to remember our kids’ reading habits don’t have to look just like ours. It’s not about us liking what they read, it’s about kids enjoying what they read.

 These are reasons that kids often re-read a book… ◦ They desire a repeat of the pleasure that they've just had. ◦ With repetition the task of reading becomes simpler and faster due to the familiarity of characters, plot and language. ◦ The reader/listener can see new things when freed from the restraints of the new of the novel. ◦ Re-reading offers the opportunity to reflect on and savor the language, the richness of the characters and the events that these characters have experienced.  Do any of these things sound like a bad thing? kids-re-read-books.html

 Ideally, reading a balance of different genres opens kids up to many experiences. However, if they become disengaged in reading because they have to read topics they aren’t interested in…we’ve done a disservice.  Encourage, but let the kids “own” their reading.  It’s what makes them love it & keeps them wanting to read more that matters most.

Historical Fiction Biography & Autobiograp hy Non-Fiction/ Informational text MysteryScience Fiction FantasyTraditional Literature (fables) Realistic Fiction

 Do you like different types of movies/TV?  How do you know you don’t like (genre) if you don’t try one?  Can you give a book 30 pages to try it?  Are there people you would like to know more about?  Are there things you would like to know about?  Is there a time in history that sounds interesting?  How would you feel if _______? (Out Of My Mind)

“…the levels were created for the purpose of describing children’s progress as they read literature, not prescribing it.” There are independent, instructional & frustration levels- At frustration kids are comprehending the least amount of text. At independent they are comprehending the most.

 Advanced and enthusiastic readers can be challenged with high-interest books above their Lexile range.  Lexiles can help a parent know when a child might need help through a hard but interesting book.  Lower Lexiles can help a reader build skill and confidence:  Struggling and reluctant readers can find easier books to practice with on topics they're interested in. ◦ Helping reluctant readers: home/how-to-help-a-reluctant-reader/ home/how-to-help-a-reluctant-reader/ ◦ Helping struggling reades: home/how-to-help-a-struggling-reader/ home/how-to-help-a-struggling-reader/ ◦ Helping high-achieving readers: lexile/lexile-at-home/how-to-help-a-high-achieving-reader/ lexile/lexile-at-home/how-to-help-a-high-achieving-reader/ ◦ Barnes and Noble:  You can find the lexile of text at the lexile.com site- copy & past a text passage in & let it find the level.

 Literature Map  Next Read  Book Tag-Peggy Sharp Choose your first book For your next book(s) find a connection to the last title you read  same author  something on the cover is the same  same first or last name of the author  same # of pages  key word link (Just read Charlotte's Web, then choose Spiderwick- link:spider)  same type of main character (Just read Till Death Do Us Bark, then choose Racing in the Rain: My life as a dog)

 Readers have a “next” book  Readers talk about what they’re reading  Readers like to keep track of what they have read (page #’s & books) What behaviors help you as a reader?

 Think about the last few books you’ve read, that you have picked- What did you take away? What new information do you now have after reading them?

 Setting some parameters for reading ◦ It’s OK not to finish a book ◦ It’s OK not to like a book ◦ It’s OK to reread a book ◦ It’s OK to skip pages

How do I know enough about the book to recommend or to know if there is anything to worry about? A Season of Gifts By Richard Peck Concerns  Violence: A large turtle is killed for soup. A boy is bullied and humiliated.  Sex: An unwed teen is pregnant and forced to marry.  Commercialism: Beer and cigarette brands mentioned.  Drugs: Drinking and drunkenness, including young teens, a drunk driving accident, teens smoke, kids smoke cornsilk.  Behavior: The message of the book is about the gifts we give each other, gifts of the spirit and the heart, which are remembered forever. Mrs. Dowdel may be crotchety, but she works tirelessly behind the scenes to improve the lives of others.  Education: The story takes place in the 50s, and there are some details about that era. Also, Mrs. Dowdel hearkens back to an earlier time when people made everything they needed from scratch, and allowed nothing to go to waste. Readers may be interested in some of her projects.

 Discuss ideas in books your child reads. For that matter, where appropriate, discuss ideas in books you read. For that matter, read the books your children read.  When a topic of interest develops which involves the whole family-- an upcoming trip or vacation, for example--bring home some books on the topic to share with the family.  By all means recommend books to your child. Tell the child how difficult the books are (or are not) and let the child decide if he or she wants to read them.  Model reading. Children who see their parents reading, often become readers and come to accept that reading is a matter-of-fact activity.  Research also agrees that in most cases, forcing a child to read will yield no positive results. Most children should not be REQUIRED to read each day, especially if it's forced reading for pleasure. Some families find that having a reading time when the whole family reads works. Even if the child is reluctant, he knows that the time is reserved for reading. Let him choose to read light material, if nothing else.