Independent reading is a crucial part of a child’s developmental process in reading. Insuring that children can self select reading material is also a key component in independent reading. This will enhance their success in the classroom and in life. Reluctant readers are not always struggling readers. I have learned that they can be academically gifted students who do not like to read. This can be caused by a bad reading experience or a bad year in school. All it takes is one unsuccessful situation and that can ruin the reading experience for that child.
Wide reading is also another term I had never heard of, but is a way that students can learn new words through incidental learning (Moss & Young, 2010). The more books my kids can read independently, the more words and more vocabulary they will be exposed to and can learn from. Through wide reading, students can academically grow more than a student who doesn’t read many books independently.
Motivation is such an important factor in a child’s independent reading. If they are not motivated to read, they will not be interested in reading. My way to get them interested this year has been through book clubs and blogging. As reading through the PowerPoint, iPods and audio books were discussed as being helpful for learning disabled in reading. This study was through high school freshman, but this is something I can agree with through my own classroom. My learning disabled students thrive off of technology use for reading. They are more interested and motivated to read if I incorporate a handheld device with the lesson.
In my classroom I plan on implementing a stronger independent reading time to help support the needs of all my students. I will do this through reading interest surveys and checking through my classroom library for books to reach all my students. I would also like to conference with each student one on one about what they like to read and why, and if they are reluctant to explain why. I want to take the one on one conference to the book shelf and show the students individually where some books are located at so they can easily find them. So many times I find that kids can’t find books in the library or in my classroom library. If it takes a lot of effort to find a book, they just give up on the idea and move on to something else typically something way to hard or way to easy. Exploring through genres is very helpful and something I try my best to teach through. Each month I introduce a new genre so my students can have a focus topic when learning. They typically like having a focus genre, and love finding other books in the same topic after the introduction of the genre.
Overall, I have learned a lot about independent reading and I am excited to begin implementing the new teaching strategies for independent reading in my classroom. My students have already grown academically, and with focusing more on independent reading, their growth will just continue to grow.
Amanda Solesbee's Blog 
Amanda,
I, too, need more conference time with my kiddos. I loved your suggestion of working with your kids at the classroom library shelf. I know that it can be overwhelming for me as an adult to walk into a Barnes and Noble (if I’m in a hurry) and try and pick a book. With some many options, it can be hard! Allowing students to possibly help you organize your shelf (ves) might also be a great way for them to understand how to use your classroom library, and in turn will be able to choose books more successfully. I think that at the 5th grade age the independence factor is wonderful, because they can do so much on their own without our help. This can be a menace if we as teachers don’t stop to think that they might need additional guidance for something as simple as a choice in a book!
Renee Hennings 3/23/12
Renee-
I do allow my students to organize my shelves, but it is not required. Maybe I can assign a group shelf duty once a week. They can be responsible for shelf straightening and keeping it organizing it. Great suggestion! They are already in groups, so this transition should be easy. Plus, like you said, it is hard to keep up with the shelves and keep them all organized all the time- especially when I have over 2,000 some books.
Amanda
Amanda,
I am glad that you are wiling to take the time to truly help your students not only make good book choices, but the time to conference with them and find out why they may be reluctantly reading something. I know I have students that I take to the library to help find books. I agree with Rene, Barnes and Noble or even a library can be a daunting place, especially when reading is not your thing. I also totally agree that reluctant readers are not always struggling readers. As I have mentioned before about my daughter disinterest in reading, I am still fighting that battle with her. Sometimes a teacher can undo in one school year what it has taken years for a parent and previous teachers to build up.
I have not been able to use an e-reader with my struggling students yet, but I would really like to find a way to work that it. That maybe a goal I work on for next school year.
Lori
Lori-
I found that the more I help my students make good book choices, the better choices they will make on their own in the long run. It does take time, but the time is well worth it. Your daughter is a perfect example as I remember you telling me about her. She is very smart, just isn’t very motivated to read. I hope she will have one year or more with a great teacher that will help change her mind and turn her toward reading.
Amanda
Amanda,
By looking at the student work you’ve posted in the past I can tell that your students are benefitting from the book clubs and blogs you’ve implemented in your classroom. Your use of blogs has really inspired me to attempt them in my future classroom. You’ve shown me that they don’t need to be overly complicated; they’re just one way for students to share their thoughts and reflections. I do have a question about your students with learning disabilities using the handheld devices like e-readers…have they explained why they enjoy reading so much more with these devices? I’m just curious if, for them, it extends beyond the coolness factor of an electronic instead of printed text.
In your post you mentioned that your students sometimes have difficulty locating books in the classroom library. Do you currently have students participate in setting up the classroom library at the beginning of the year? If not, is that something you think you might incorporate in the future so hopefully books are easier to locate? I know that is something I have not done in the past, but after reading the textbook I understand why that strategy may help my future students.
Andrea-
I am glad you are encouraged to try blogs after looking at a few examples I posted. You are right, they are not too complicated- they are actually quite simple. My struggling readers like e-readers not for the coolness, but for the fact that the other students can’t see what book they are reading since it is typically a grade level or more behind.
I typically have a few students who straighten up my book shelves, but after seeing how they don’t know where all the books are still- I think I will set up a group a week to work on the books. Thanks for the suggestion 🙂