An excellent way to help students think about new words they encounter as they read is to create a double sided bookmark where students collect new words as they read. At the top of the bookmark, put “A word that the class should know is:” and leave some space for students to write their new word. Near the middle of the bookmark put the phrase stem, “I think this word means” and the page number where the word was found. Again, leave room for students to write a few words describing what they think the word means in the context provided in their text. Later, students are given time to present their new words in either small and/or large group settings to discuss each word and their probable meanings. Any time there is disagreement over the probable meaning of the word in the context of the text, students should look the word up in the dictionary to check dictionary definitions. The teacher is the final arbitrator in the case of any continued questions regarding the meaning of any of the words being discussed. Students enjoy searching for new words that might be appropriate for their bookmarks and the discussions help deepen word interest and knowledge.

Helping students comprehend what they are reading can sometimes be a challenge when we are working with non-fiction or informational text. A great way to help students deeply think about what they are reading and “visualize” the information and the relationships in the content is by using visual texts. Ask students to read two or more articles or pieces of informational text on the same topic. Once they have completed this task, ask them to summarize the information they have learned into one visual text graphic. For example, students might create a flow chart to explain a cycle or how something works. They might create a diagram to show the relationships that exist in the material. They could create a time line to show where key events occurred over time. They could create a table to categorize various items from the text or even create a story map to summarize the key events or main points of the texts. We have all heard the old saying, “A picture is worth a 1,000 words.” Students love to create visual texts and having them create visual representations of their understandings is a great way for students of all ages to show what they know.

Kids who struggle with reading often do everything they can to avoid reading. Unfortunately, this is counter-productive and only increased the problem. Reading is a “participation sport” that children have to DO to get better. The more a child uses his reading skills, the stronger they become. What to do to get kids reading more so they actually build reading skills is the question on many teacher’s and parent’s minds.

Children like books that make them laugh or that appeal to their special interests. One little girl I know loves any books that have to do jokes. She has also watched all of the Harry Potter movies several times and loves any books that have to do with dragons or magicians. she can’t wait for the day when she can read the Harry Potter books all on her own. A boy I know, loves to not only watch the Merlin TV show each week, but to also read the Magic Treehouse books featuring a wizard by the same name as the character he knows and enjoys on television. The extra reading practice builds both reading skill and background knowledge.

Another boy loves anything to do with motocross racing. Buying materials that appeal to these interests, keeps these children practicing their reading and enjoying every minute of it. Magazines on a topic of interest can be just as interesting and skill building as any other type of reading material. If a child likes movies that have books connected with them or books that feature the characters from a TV or movie show, then by all means, introduce the child to these special treasures. So, take the time to get to know what interests the reluctant readers that you know and you may just find that they will spend many hours practicing their reading when they might not have done so before.

Looking for some good stories for your students in grades 3 and higher to enjoy as get back into the swing of things this school year?  One great resource not to be overlooked is the tales center from Houghton Mifflin. You can find this outstanding collection of fun and interesting stories at http://www.eduplace.com/tales that is sure to delight your students. Spend some time browsing through the great collection of online stories on this site and I am sure you will find many great tales that will definitely get your student’s interest and attention.

In the next month, many of you will be returning to your classrooms to begin a new school year with an eager group of new faces waiting to see how things will go in your classroom. A wonderful gift that you can give your students of any age is to read aloud to them daily. For elementary students, this can be a picture book or a “classic” that would normally be just slightly beyond what your children might be able to read by themselves. For middle or high school, a daily read aloud might consist of a current news article, a magazine article, an internet article or even a biography or diary from the period you are studying.  Students love to listen to their teacher read. It is not only informative but also calming and relaxing and reminiscent of the times we spent on our mother’s knee listening to our favorite stories. When people are asked to reflect on what joyful experiences they had during their school years, being read to by the teacher is often on top of many people’s list.  For those children who did not have this wonderful, nurturing experience as children, helping children learn the joys of listening to good oral reading is even more important. If you have not used oral reading in your classroom, consider starting with even a poem or very short article. If you have, then keep reading aloud on a daily basis. You just may become the teacher that your students remember long after the ink on the graduation diploma has faded.