As a reading teacher, you should have one goal in the classroom…

MAKE KIDS LOVE TO READ!

(If they love to read, those tests will pass themselves!)

I use these simple ways to make sure that each student in my classroom finds a book or a series they LOVE before leaving my room. I want kids begging to read their stories and continue to push themselves with reading.

If you implement these strategies in your classroom it will truly help kids LOVE to read!

Friendly Reads

Want to make a child read a new book?! Have their best friend read the book too!

I will get two kiddos together and give them the same book. I will also give them a time of the day where they can sit and talk about the book. Trust me, it will get them motivated to read and introduce them to new ideas!

>>>You can read more about friendly reads here!<<<<

Book Clubs

You can do these in class or out of class! We do book clubs during guided reading, but I also run a before school book club once a week! This is a way to introduce students to new novels and get them talking about reading with each other. It truly will make a student who didn’t read a book all year find a new series and get hooked!

For book clubs, I pick a book that is highly engaging and fits the reading level of that group. Each week we will read 1 chapter together and then I will assign a chapter or two for the students to read on their own. We work on reading skills with the books, do book projects, and play comprehension games that go along with the book. We also take a few quizzes and tests because teachers need grades 😉

Read Aloud

If you aren’t doing read aloud, you need to be every day.  I read for 20 minutes each day and I just READ!

This is how I show kids to enjoy reading and not attach any type of tasks with it. I allow them to just listen and not have to think about comprehension skills.

I LOVE choosing the first book in a series to read aloud. Then, when I am done I auction off the second book. By doing this, students will get hooked on series and then read the entire series throughout the year. 

>>>Check out my favorite read-aloud novels here<<<

Book Talks

Once a month I schedule a 30 minute period of time where I do book talks.

I sit in the reading corner of my classroom and call one student back at a time. We talk about what they are loving right now with reading and what they want more of. I typically help suggest some new books and we fill up their book bin.

This is a great way to have a conversation with kiddos, learn their interests, and point them to good books.

Book Suggestions

After guided reading everyday I let one student share what they are reading currently or what they have been reading. When they talk about it in front of the class it typically points kids to new books!

If a student is struggling to find a book I may bring over a friend who just finished a book I think they’d like. I let that other student discuss the book with the student. This allows someone else besides me to point them to a book.

Book Projects

Students are ALWAYS allowed to do a book project at home and share with the class, but we also do them often during the school year. Students read a book and then choose one of the twenty book projects to complete >>>Find those here<<<

They complete the project and get to share it with the class.

When they get to share what they read, they are more into the book. This is also another way to get other kids interested in the book.

>>>You can read more about book projects here!<<<

Do you have any other tips on how to get students loving reading? Comment below!