So we know that learning loss happens every year, we know that learning losses have compounded with the pandemic, and we know that there are a variety of obstacles in the way of building and sustaining healthy reading habits. But what do we do about it? Put simply: create an environment that will make everyone want to read. It is the simplest and most important action we can take, and the goal is to create spaces that support, encourage, and celebrate a love for reading.
In my own classroom, I do my best to foster a love of reading in a variety of ways:
1. Enthusiasm and personality – I love to share! I am authentically enthusiastic when talking with the kids about new books I bought for the school, any books I got for myself, any books I’ve finished reading lately, any new books that I am eagerly awaiting an upcoming publishing date, book to movie adaptations coming out, and any information about events at local bookshops that are of interest to myself or students and their families.
“Heck Yeah I saw Dune 2 & let’s talk about the comparisons between the book and the movie at lunch!”
“No, I haven’t read the newer Rick Riordan series that focuses on Norse mythology instead of Greek mythology, but what did you think!?”
“Hey, Tombolo Books is hosting a writing event made specifically for young writers your age! Here is all of the information, you two should totally go!”
And, of course I will be showing off my halloween costume with authentic Harry Potter robes, or my cosplay of Galadriel from Lord of the Rings. My goal is to share my love of all things literary with my students, to show them that it is possible to be obsessed! with reading (as opposed to dreading it), and to show them that being a nerd is cool and fun!
2. Comics & graphic novels – This is one of The Best tips I use as a teacher / big sister / cousin. Every kid likes comic strips in the newspaper, plenty of kids do like to read fantasy or science fiction, but for those kids who think they don’t have the attention span to read a whole book, I give them single issue comics or a medium length graphic novel. I think it is the combined magic of the artistry, compelling story, and brevity that makes comics and graphic novels the perfect gateway to getting kids hooked on reading. Comics are not just about superheroes, there is a genre and subject matter for everyone, and it only takes a couple of good ones to get a kid hooked and ready to read longer things with less images.
3. Choice – Being ‘forced’ to do anything is usually not fun, and reading is no exception. Even within assigned reading is an opportunity to give a student a choice, and that will make them more willing to do the thing. For example, at the start of the school year we focused on adaptations, so I offered 3 different books that were varied in genre and content – Coraline, Holes, or Parable of the Sower. These options were aligned with what I knew about the students in my classes, and they all enjoyed the book they chose.
I also give creative final assignments that have lots of room for choice and a personal touch. The first assignment of the year was a brown bag book talk, where the students dressed up like a main character and filled a decorated bag with items that stand for significant moments in the novel. For the adaptation assignment, students could create their own film (one scene, a montage, or a trailer), a theatrical edition (one scene), or a short comic of a single important event from the book. The comics were colorful and well written, the films were all highly amusing parodies, and one student wrote and choreographed a ‘deleted scene’ that incorporated the song I Think I Love You and some of our youngest students that brought the house down! And, because I knew we would be creating our own school newspaper this year, I started bringing in editions of our local paper, The Tampa Bay Times, and The New York Times into school and had students peruse and pick an article to read from any of the sections of an actual newspaper.
In this school year alone, I have had two students start the year literally saying “I don’t read” and by mid-year they have been exchanging books with friends and sharing with strangers that they love to read now! I know that having the kids facilitate a series of “word of the day” exercises gives them a sense of control & helps build their vocabulary, which leads to increased reading comprehension. I know that using comics and graphic novels, movie and television adaptations, and creative assignments helps bring books to life in a way that is more engaging than silent reading all alone. And I know that having adults share their excitement about reading, and engage in conversation about books with the kids, sets the standard for a healthy relationship with books. I am so proud of my students, and it makes me so happy to see them excited about reading.