Independent Reading Strategies
Book Choice, Program Choices, Time, and Goals for Successful Readers
Independent reading is a time for students to make their own book choices, apply reading strategies, have large blocks of time to read and set independent reading goals.
Independent reading isn't just about letting kids read silently for a given amount of time. It's about providing students with the necessary tools to becoming independent and life long readers.
Creating Successful Readers Through Independent Reading
In her book Reading Essentials [Heinemann, 2002], Reggie Routman says,“Ironically, when teachers are pressed for time, independent reading is usually the first thing to be cut. Yet a carefully monitored independent reading program is the single most important part of your reading instructional program." There are four key elements of independent reading that will help students become successful readers: choice, strategies, time, and goals.
Motivated By Choice
Allowing students choice with their selection of books motivates them to want to read. However, students need to be reading books on their "just right reading level". Therefore, in order to provide choice for all your students, you will need an excellent classroom library. Books should be available on all students' levels and offer many topics and genres. Make sure to organize books so that they are accessible for all children.
Explicit Reading Strategies
Students need to be explicitly taught strategies that they can use when reading. There are two types of strategies. First, they need decoding or word attack strategies. These strategies will help students know what to do when they come to an unknown word. The second type of strategy is comprehension. Students need to understand that when they are reading, they need to be thinking about their reading. They need to be taught that good readers: make connections, ask questions, visualize, make inferences, synthesize information while reading, and determine the importance in nonfiction. All of these strategies need to be taught through teacher modeling. Independent reading provides them with time to apply the strategies.
Allowing Time To Read
How do you become good at soccer? By practicing! So if you want to become a better reader? Practice reading! Students need long blocks of time to read their books and practice applying strategies. Students will need more than one book to read during this long stretch of time. Many teachers have students "shop" from their classroom library and then they house their chosen books in some sort of container such as a book box.
Setting Reading Goals
Providing students with large chunks of time allows you to hold small reading groups or individual conferences. During these conferences, you can listen to the student read and monitor their application of the strategies. The most important part of this conference is setting a reading goal. By setting a goal, the student will know specifically what strategy to continue working on until the next conference.
The benefits of independent reading go far beyond grades, test scores, or the regular school day. Independent reading is the foundation for creating successful readers. By allowing students choice of their book selection, teaching them to apply reading strategies, giving them time to read, and by having them set reading goals, you are building the foundation for creating successful life long readers.
