I’m trying something different this year. I’m not assigning novels and telling everyone which pages to read, having class discussions about the themes, providing background knowledge, making vocabulary lists, or asking “comprehension” questions that I mark for a grade.
This year, everyone in the class reads what they want to read, and they read without interruption for 30-40 minutes each day. They tell me about their books when I go around the room asking how it’s going. I write down what we talk about. They read short passages quietly to me. They write in journals about their books. They meet with partners or in small groups, and they give oral “book reports” written on sticky notes. They make book recommendations to each other. They read at home and before school without being told to, and they tell me they love to read. I even saw one of my students reading a book walking down the hall the other day. It’s going viral.
In the beginning of the year I only had a few real readers in the class. One girl told me she couldn’t read. It wasn’t true; she just hadn’t found the right books. Most hadn’t read anything during the summer break, many chose too-easy books to read in class at first, and some wanted to see the nurse or go to the bathroom every day when it was time to read. But I wouldn’t let them; they had to read. Now, everyone settles right down, and it’s stone quiet the whole time.
For a very long time, it seemed to me that teaching Reading (capital R) was using too much valuable class time when the kids could have been actually reading. They were spending their time filling in blanks and looking up answers to questions nobody cared about. Assigned readings were either too hard, too easy, or too boring. There was no love in it, and reading was mostly a chore. I decided to test Stephen Krashen’s research-based 88 Generalizations about Free and Voluntary Reading, and it’s exciting to see these kids reading and talking about books because they want to, and not because they have to.
Free reading doesn’t take any fancy instructional materials. No anthologies, workbooks, transparencies, or teacher’s manuals. But it helps to have a library. It also helps to have computers, routers, and some professional time to learn about reading theory. None of that is cheap.
With the stimulus package dollars coming our way, curriculum coordinators and teachers should take a look at Richard Allington’s Proven Programs, Profits, and Practice, and maybe save some money for things that will make a difference. Allington describes how, over the last decade, education policies have limited the options schools have to spend federal dollars, limiting choices to only “proven scientifically-based programs,” assuming such programs exist.
One of the problems with “scientifically-based” education programs is that “what works” always depends on local variables. As Allington said elsewhere, “…nothing worked everywhere and everything worked somewhere.”
Allington has a list of Ten Research-Based, Low-Profit Potential Practices:
- Writing, Sound Stretching, and Phonemic Awareness: Phonemic segmentation can be effectively taught through exploring “invented” spelling in primary grade writing lessons as kids figure out how to spell words.
- Word Walls: High frequency words posted on the wall help kids with spelling and word recognition.
- Just Plain Writing: Don’t overlook the writing-reading relationship.
- Extended Independent Reading: Like I said.
- Discussion After Reading: This, too.
- Reading Aloud to Children: Reading to kids develops vocabulary, enhances reading motivation, offers a forum for comprehension strategy instruction, and builds background knowledge. It probably does more than that, but do we need any more reasons?
- Appropriate Texts, Readers Theater, and Other Fluency-Enhancing Devices: Give kids books to read that they can actually read, and let them have fun with them.
- Choice Words: Knowing what to say and when to say it is an art. It can’t be scripted.
- Motivation: Choice of reading and writing topics, access to interesting texts, and a positive atmosphere are all under-celebrated and research-validated practices.
- Teacher Expertise: It’s that life-long learner thing.
Allington argues that because there is no way to effectively market these research-based practices, they don’t get as much attention as they should. From what I’ve seen, market-based instructional practices are watered down, cheesy substitutes for real teaching. Quoting Linda Darling-Hammond: “Standardized practice is malpractice when viewed from a perspective of professional accountability. Professional teachers should be allowed to focus on doing the right things rather than doing things right.”
When we do the right things, the people who stand to profit most are the kids.
29 Comments
The only risk is that students won’t want to go back.
I was allowed free and voluntary reading in public school (up to grade
and explored widely – I remember clearly doing a book review in class of ‘The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich’ (which I still remember) and also reading Speer’s ‘Inside the Third Reich’, among many more big, thick, interesting books.
In high school they allowed some flexibility in the first couple of years but went back to assigned reading (and content tests, to make sure we did it) of Dickens and other irrelevancies. I completely rebelled, failing grade 12 English through test boycotts, rather than submit to that reading regime.
Up to grade 8 – not grade smiley. Your interpreter takes liberties with my text.
Doug, as I read your post I found a smile quickly spreading across my face. I had to stifle a shout of “someone finally gets it!” because my pregnant wife would not have been too pleased to be woken up at 6 in the AM.
I am a firm believer that about what kids are reading, it’s about getting them to read. Who cares if they’ve read Shakespeare or “Old Man and the Sea”. Most aren’t old enough to really grasp them anyway. If teachers and parents can instill a lifelong love of reading then the classics will come later.
Children also are making meaningful analysis of what they are reading, making stronger connections. That will last longer than someone having to explain what Yorik’s skull represents. And of course it’s free.
Kudos to you Doug. Keep up the good work.
I’m doing much he same and I too am experiencing kids reading more AND enjoying it more. We’ve also been leveraging this with our laptops by having the students take 30 minutes to research a “high interest” topic (sharks, rockets, horses, skateboards, volcanoes, submarines, etc.) of their choice and then giving them 30 minutes to write about what they learned … I’ve had similar results.
Brian
We had “USSR” every day when I was a middle school student in the 80′s. As part of the “gifted” program, I also got to go to the Library Media Center and read for a period instead of taking Reading class. I guess in sixth or seventh grade the school’s first Apple IIe arrived in the LMC. That proved to be a bit of a distraction.
I’m a high school librarian with high school aged children who go to school in a different district from the one where I teach. I *know* there’s a book for every person–the one that will turn them into a reader. For a lot of kids right now, that’s the Lightning Thief or Hunger Games or anything by Scott Westerfeld or the execrable Twilight series. I frequently feel that I work in opposition to the rest of the school because I let kids choose and feed them what they need/want. In my kid’s school district, they don’t have a real librarian–just an aide. They don’t check out books–I purchase them, and they make the rounds of the 8 or so GT kids who hang out at our house. Usually I’m ahead of their reading interests since I know the latest greatest books coming out, but last week, they made a special request. “We’re studying the French revolution in sophomore history, so could you get us a copy or two of Les Miserables?” Our library copy was checked out, so I purchased a couple of paperbacks. Do I care if they finish the books? Heck no. Making it available for them to read at the time they have the interest–that’s what true gifted education should be about.
Awesome! I love Krashen. Have you read or heard about Kelly Gallagher’s new book Readicide: How Schools Are Killing the Love of Reading and What You Can Do About It? He has similar points, though he takes a 50/50 approach with his high school students. They do half free voluntary reading and half required reading (Hamlet, Lord of the Flies, etc.) He tells them that he doesn’t expect them to LIKE the required reading, but to find the value in it and be able to have a shared cultural background. Short, interesting, motivating read. I’d be curious what you and your readers make of it.
This was my experience too, when I finally decided to take the leap and step away from the front of the room. I worked hard at the front of that room, don’t get me wrong…I work hard now too. I’ve done some stuff I’m really proud of in the last seventeen years or so, but NOTHING was as powerful as deciding to let kids read what they wanted to because they wanted to. Doing this had a profound effect on my students (I gathered the data to prove it in case I was challenged!) and it profoundly changed my perceptions about reading and teaching forever. It was great to see this post.
My third-grade son would love this approach. He hates the “baby stories” that he’s tortured into reading in preparation for the PSSA test. Inside his desk he is hiding “Magyk” by Angie Sage. Earlier this year he was reading multiple versions of the Iliad, zooming through the Percy Jackson books, the Ranger’s Apprentice series, and the Eragon books.
And he’s not “gifted” according to the district psychologist…
Sounds like inquiry based learning to me.. really the only way to develop knowledge of self..awesome strategy!
Great post. I needed that.
My new mantra:
“Standardized practice is malpractice when viewed from a perspective of professional accountability. Professional teachers should be allowed to focus on doing the right things rather than doing things right.”
When we do the right things, the people who stand to profit most are the kids.”
Doug,
I think I just fell in love for the second time. Don’t tell my husband. At the least, please move to Western New York immediately so that I can hire you. Amazingly simple. Perfect. Have had this conversation with English teachers so many times I’m like a bird running repeatedly into the same wall of glass. THANK YOU. Please continue. Please tell everyone who will listen. Best post I’ve ever read because it’s exactly what I would love to hear my own ELA teachers saying. BRAVO!
Kim
oops, “flying” into the same pane of glass.
As I read this post I find myself nodding my head quite vigorously. I couldn’t agree more! It’s interesting to hear the different philosophies of teachers and administrators when it comes to having the students read independently. Some will say that teachers should be modeling a love of literature by reading at the same time as the students; others will say that teachers should be conferencing with students to assess comprehension, fluency, and decoding. I personally prefer a balance of both; I’m okay with conferencing so long as the assessment is invisible, but I really do agree that there’s something very powerful about allowing students to read books of their choice on a consistent basis in a relaxed and threat-free environment. Well written Doug!
Doug: Thank you, thank you! At RIF we are based on children choosing books to read and to keep. I have gone to no event anywhere in the USA over the last 7 1/2 years that I have been with RIF that some adult does not come up to me to tell me about the RIF book s/he still cherishes or actually brings the book to show me, holding it tenderly. It is clear that book has remained a treasure and part of the conversation always reflects the “choice” concept in some manner. Thank you again!
As a fourth and fifth grade teacher I felt like my most powerful teaching and assessing of students came through our reading conferences. I did still meet with guided reading groups (short texts, often non-fiction) and literature discussion groups (also short texts, usually deep picture books) and loved that, but the conferences were the best use of our time.
I’m trying to figure out how to make this work with first graders now. They can’t choose from such a wide library of books due to their newly developing reading skills. So, they do have independent reading time each day, but it is much shorter and I don’t think they’ve latched onto it as much as I would like.
@ Doug
An intriguing post. I remember sitting in grade school being forced to read some awful novel about Anne of this or that. It was really awful. I had my “choose your own adventure books” and others in my book bag but instead of learning to read by reading something engaging. I chalked the experience up to the feminization of grade school but anyway it would have been more engaging and helpful to enjoy what I was reading.
Amen… that’s all I have time to write right now, but I’ll say it again to accentuate my sentiment. AMEN
Doug,
trying to understand before adopting the idea:
You wrote “They write in journals about their books”.
Is the writing also voluntary ?
The writing is no more or less voluntary than anything else kids do in school. Occasionally a few of them make notes without being directed to, but mostly not. Teaching them how to write about reading is a long-term project, a facet of comprehension strategy instruction.
This is a fantastic post. I think our teaching of reading has become much too commercialized. In my classroom of fourth graders students chose their own books to read and have time to read them everyday. In addition to that I have smaller groups of 4-5 students reading a book together. In the beginning I gave them a choice of a few books. Now when we finish they find the next book on their own. We all read a few chapters, they write notes along with a thinking question, then we meet and discuss the book. The conversations we have are so much better than any worksheet would ever get. The best part is that students like to read now.
Jean, I agree; the best part is that students like to read.
Hear! Hear! How do we get this happening in every classroom?
Absolutely wonderful to hear that you’re allowing your kids that “choice” that they – and we – so desperately want and need. As a high school English teacher in a small town in Alberta, Canada, I have been encouraging choice in as many ways as possible – from the texts (although “curriculum” does set parameters for what genres we are encouraged/required to cover) to the form of the assignments. As for technology in the classroom: YES! Funny thing though: I, a techno-saur, am learning (and appreciating!) more about the vast opportunities that technology offers than do my students.
I have been reading a variety of education blogs of late (okay, I’m semi-obsessed) and I’m delighted to add yours to my list. If you’re interested in the kinds of “standardized” tests our students in Alberta write – and if you have time – the link to the English diploma exams is: http://education.alberta.ca/admin/testing/diplomaexams.aspx
Our students who are planning (with significant nudges from their parents, in most cases) take what is called a “dash 1″ stream (English 10-1, 20-1, 30-1); the “general stream” is “dash 2.” Once you’re in the site, you’ll need to rummage around a bit to find samples of the exams/student writing. The written exams – Part A – are released to teachers once they are written (heyyyy…sets upon sets of samples to foster “teach to the test” and defend not changing your teaching approach/content. Sigghhhh…), whereas the multiple choice (sorry, the politically correct phrase is reading comprehension) exams are secured for a period of several years. A series of passages/questions are embedded within the exam – with the intent that, over the years, students responses to those particular sections will provide “data” so as to improve teaching. Hmmmm…given that the kids writing the exam are long gone, so much for enhancing their learning. Anyway, given what I have read about the nature of other exams, I guess ours is “okay,” but as you can well imagine, I’m not a staunch supporter of standardized tests, especially when they’re worth 50% of the students’ final grades (in English 30-1/30-2, Math 30 Pure and Applied, Chem 30, Physics 30, Bio 30, and Social Studies 30-1/30-2). One shot pencil-and-paper tests conducted in two sessions, totaling 6 hours in English and Social, and slightly less in all other subjects, just doesn’t seem “fair.” Anyway, I’ll stop here, before I enter into my usual “ranting” zone.
By the way, we call our silent reading time DEAR: Drop Everything And Read Time. And “DEAR” time it is!!
Thank you for sharing your “blog” with us; I’m now a committed member of your audience.
Carol, thanks for your response. You mention writing, which is commonly used as a way to assess reading comprehension. The work we do in class is a mix of prompted and unprompted reading and writing assignments. Our standardized tests, like yours, use a combination of constructed and multiple choice responses. Students need a lot of help learning how to respond to reading selections besides “bubbling” answers. Using a variety of media, and discussion, helps to hold their interest. They respond well to the more structured assignments when they can use a part of their class time to choose what they read.
I teach in a special ed program for gifted kids and see them one full day aweek by grade level. Our district adopted a ‘research based’ scripted reading program in the regular ed classroom and demanded elem teachers teach it with ‘fidelity’ 3-4 years ago. It has been a death knell for gifted readers. They read the story outloud THREE times, spending a week on each story. There are great high level skills taught through the series like cause and effect, making predictions, etc but they are retaught for every story! My students, many of whom are voracious readers, say the HATE Reading.Sad. I’m sending your post to cohorts but know they can’t do anything but say “I wish…”.
I am too much of a control freak to spend that much “free reading” time during at school; however, the only homework I now assign is reading with parent-student discussion. Check out how I balance my control propensities with student choice reading at http://penningtonpublishing.com/blog/reading/how-to-get-students-to-read-at-home/ Freedom of choice and accountability-what a concept!
I am a middle school library media specialist. We’re starting reading/writing workshop next school year. Also, 6th grade will be coming up to our already 7th and 8th grade middle school. We middle school librarians have not been involved yet with the model to be used. How do others incorporate a totally operational/functional fully staffed media center within their workshops? All we’ve been hearing about is the classroom library – no discussion how the media center and 21st century skills are going to be involved. Help!
Patty, you sound like a great librarian, to be concerned in advance with how you can support this effort. I don’t know about the 21st Century skills / multimedia aspect of this, but I can tell you now that I’m wishing that I had more resources for students who are reading historical novels – material that would supply them with background information for some of the books they are reading.
Mostly, what I’ve seen with my own students is that they recommend books to each other, or they latch onto a book series and read everything they can get. Getting to know the kids and what they are interested – and then keeping on top of how their tastes develop is the best strategy I can recommend. I’m still learning too!
Thanks for the interesting question. It gives me a new angle from which to look at this project.
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