When I started teaching high school, I imagined beautiful, deep conversations about symbolism and various themes. However, my dreams were busted in a matter of 5 minutes or less when I was met with a group of apathetic readers who hadn’t felt energized by a book since 1st grade…if ever. Bring on all the tears and remove the knife from my English teacher heart.
After surveying a group of 10th graders, I realized that the vast majority of them could not remember the last time they had read a book. This is a MAJOR issue – not just for growing literacy skills, but also for learning new vocabulary, recognizing bias, working on critical thinking, understanding allusions in texts, and more! I wasn’t surprised that many of my students avoided applying for jobs because they didn’t understand how to write a resume (if you cannot read well, you cannot write well), they were failing 1 or more classes, and they would literally rather be sent to in-school suspension than do a quick reading comprehension passage.
I was left scrambling to pick up the pieces from years of reading neglect. I soon realized that this kind of remediation was not going to happen in the classroom alone. Students need constant reinforcement throughout the day when they are THIS far behind in their reading skills. It took quite a bit of research, trial-and-error, and working with parents/stakeholders to try to attempt to create a habit of reading in these VERY reluctant readers.
I’ve compiled a list of my top 3 suggestions for helping our students who cannot remember the last time they read a book or shudder to think that they have to actually read something in order to be successful in a class. I’m ALWAYS down for suggestions, so I would love to hear how you go about helping your students who struggle with this skill.
- Make time by always being prepared
The argument that I’ve heard so many times is: “I just don’t have time to read.” Listen, we ALL have time to read. How many times do you find yourself taking out your phone, tablet, laptop to play a quick game or scroll through Instagram as you wait in line somewhere? Create sound reading habits by always being prepared with a book. I try to have a book with me at all times so I can squeeze in even an extra 5 minutes of reading time. If you don’t think all of these little random minutes add up, check out one of my FAVORITE charts that shows just how much “a little” reading helps!
I like to model this kind of behavior for my students so that they see how it really is possible. If I have hall duty, I’ll bring a book to look over rather than be on my phone. If we ever have time left at the end of a test or quiz, I’ll pull out a book and let me students see how I choose to squeeze in reading rather than waste time. I’ve read so many great titles by squeezing in a little extra time here-and-there.
If your student/child is embarrassed by being “the reader” in the crowd – yes, I’ve actually heard this excuse *insert eye roll here*, then I also have an alternative suggestion to squeeze in reading. I’m a HUGE fan of audiobooks for reluctant readers. I love reading myself, but I still listen to these on long trips. If it weren’t for audiobooks and my hour commute to college for five years, I probably wouldn’t have read through half of the novels that I was assigned as an English major.
I encourage my students to use Audible, Hoopla, Overdrive, and Libby to find audiobooks that they can listen to. They can use these in the car, at the gym, or even *gasp* out in public (and everyone else just thinks they’re listening to music). I’ve even encouraged students to find books they may be interested in on YouTube. You would be surprised at how many titles are being read for free on this platform. When students hear pieces it actually helps them with fluency, teaches them how to utilize voice inflection, and increases retention of new vocabulary words.
2. Be Okay with Quitting to Find What Really Works
Reluctant readers are not going to read books that they do not like. I can’t really blame them as I have abandoned more books than I care to admit. My husband says I am the pickiest TV watcher of all time, but I think you can add “pickiest reader” to that list as well. We have to encourage our students/children to keep trying if they aren’t interested in a book. Usually, it isn’t going to “get better” as they read more. I hate when people try to tell me to “stick with a show” for multiple seasons. It’s boring and I dread watching “to get to the good part.” If a student isn’t enjoying a book, don’t make them feel bad about wanting to abandon it. Instead, help them find something that WILL work for them.
I love to suggest the following websites for my students to use when finding a “just right” book:
1. What Should I Read Next? This site literally lets students type in a book they’ve enjoyed in the past and it will make suggestions for what they should read next. It’s so fun! Students can see a quick preview of a book on Amazon before they begin reading.
2. Goodreads: Ya’ll already know how much I love this site! You can find my virtual bookshelf here. Students can browse curated lists of titles, fill out a survey about previous reading and Goodreads will suggest titles, and even keep track of what they’re currently reading by “updating reading progress.” It’s SO satisfying to watch the progress bar grow as I keep reading. I LOVE THIS SITE!
3. Whichbook: I’ve not used this site very much, but I have students who love the concept. You can actually use a sliding scale on the left side of the page to find a book. Instead of being based on what was previously read or suggestions of others, Whichbook uses scales like “safe to disturbing” or “happy to sad” to suggest books based off of emotions or elements of the book. It’s super interesting and can actually drum up some really cool suggestions – especially when I’m in the mood for a particular genre or story type.
3. Incorporate multi-media when you can!
You would not believe the number of students that I’ve had that have recently chosen titles such as: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before or The Handmaid’s Tale from my little classroom library! When they can “find out” about a show or movie before the next episode/sequel is released, my students are more likely to dive into a text. They also like talking to me about how a show is different than a book. It sounds silly or obvious, but so many students are more likely to develop good reading habits if they find something “modern” to relate it to. They like to feel special/smart when they can discuss literature along with a film. Seeing an “on-screen version” of a text also helps them conceptualize and visualize difficult concepts or themes found within a book. It basically reinforces analytical skills!
With this idea comes the ever-popular notion of censorship. As an educator, I’ve come to understand that MOST books really should not be censored or kept from students. I was once terrified of teaching The Kite Runner to my tenth graders. However, I learned that the vast majority of my students had already been exposed to many of the controversial topics in the novel. It opened up a very critical dialogue opportunity and allowed me to hear their perspectives on issues I had no idea they were passionate about.
We, as adults, often want to shield our children and students from a harsh, and often unfair world. However, eliminating literature that pushes boundaries, introduces touchy subjects, or even challenges the status-quo DOES NOT change the fact that these same children have probably already been exposed to the same things we’re so worried about them “finding out.” Wouldn’t you rather your child hear about difficult topics WITH you rather than hearing the opinions of their (often uneducated) peers?
Please don’t think that I’m saying we should throw good judgment out the window and let the kids read about how to be a drug dealer or sell their bodies – I’M NOT. However, I am advocating for letting students read literature that opens their eyes to different cultures, perspectives, and societal issues that may just make them a more well-rounded person. We cannot be afraid to let our students learn from the literature that opens their eyes to a different world. Also – sometimes these novels are the ones that capture our students’ attention the most and keep.them.reading! 🙂
I’m constantly looking for ways that I can immerse my students into the world of literature and the power of the written word. I’m anxious to hear about the ways in which you encourage good reading habits in your own children and students!
