IR (independent reading) refers to the time students spend reading their self-selected texts. IR has proven to have a direct correlation to academic achievements. Common Core also calls for it on all grade levels. With that being said, I wanted to know how this can relate to my individual classroom. Miller and Moss mentioned 7 specific ways to grow independent readers. These ways were what I found to be the most helpful in understanding successful IR.
1. Classroom Time-They mentioned that typically twenty minute slots were average. It ultimately depends on the reader's proficiency though, as to how long they need. With my students, I see that 15 to 20 minutes is usually a good amount of time.
2. Choice-IR should be centered around student selected texts. In turn, they should be able to read, understand, and keep doing it. I know that I tend to read more of what I am interested in. I had my students complete a Padlet where they told me the things that they were most interested in. I then checked out books that I knew that they would be interested in.
3.Explicit Instruction-Teaching them the what, why, and how readers read. I personally liked the example of the genre wheel. This holds them accountable for different types of genres and what they read. Once we have taught them text features, they then can use that genre wheel and read nonfiction books. They should have a better understand of what they are reading. It also stated that easier texts correlate with higher reading growth. I found that interesting.
4. Read A Lot- Giving students the opportunity to read can only make them better readers. It was found that students who scored proficient or advanced, read twice as many words as those who scored below basic. Also, those who reported reading for fun had higher scores. This statement from Miller and Moss really stood out to me, "Children need a chance to practice reading every day, not just when their work is finished."
5. Access to Texts-Classroom and School libraries are essential. Fountas and Pinnell(1996) recommend that teachers have between three hundred and six hundred titles in their classroom libraries. The IRA recommends 7 books per student. Which in my homeroom would only be about 154 books. More importantly than the number, I feel is the things that you have, that they want to read.
6. Teacher Monitoring-They suggested the best way to do this was have the students read, have them retell the story, and answer questions aloud that you ask. What has been working for me is letting them know that they are being help accountable.
7. Students Talk About What They Read- Give the students time to talk about what they have read, and how it might relate to what others are reading.
Struggling readers need IR time. I am working hard this year, to make sure my students have time to read. This article helped me to see the importance of this.
I agree that I feel that the quality of the books in our classroom libraries may be more important than the quantity of books. We need to make sure that the books that the students can choose from are about topics that are interesting to them.
ReplyDeleteAllison - I really like how you have taken each point and related it to what you are currently doing or would like to do. I think if you keep pushing your students and give them time to practice what you would like them to do that you will see amazing results.
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