Reading Engagement & Independence!

“Without Engagement, We’ve Got Nothing: Helping Children Want to Read” is the title of a chapter in the book, Teaching Reading in Small Groups by Jen Serravallo, a staff developer with TCRWP and stresses the importance of engagement for our readers. I used to call it getting the reader “hooked on books,” but I now know it is more than that. It means supporting, teaching, and setting students up to get lost in their books so they think deeply while reading with stamina (Reading over long stretches of time.) and volume (Reading lots and lots of books!).

How do you know when a reader is engaged?

I picture an engaged reader like this...he/she is leaning into a book with eyes fixed on the print, each page is turned carefully and deliberately, an occasional smile may slowly cross their face or an “Ah-Ha!” may suddenly erupt. This reader can talk easily about the many books that are read and loves to share new discoveries about the character or plot while reading. He/she is developing favorite authors or series and wants to read all the time.

How do we get all our readers engaged?

• Make sure readers are reading “just-right” books. The biggest barrier to engagement is reading books that are too hard.
• Get high-interest, popular books into readers’ hands (series, favorite author).
• Set a consistent time for uninterrupted reading every day.
• Teach strategies for increasing focus and attention. (see chart).
• Talk about books, authors, characters and your own reading life.
• Do book introductions and get student book recommendations.
• Set reading goals.
• Read Aloud and demonstrate excitement and discovery while reading.
  

Assessing Readers

This summer I attended a five-day institute at Teachers College, Columbia University in New York City. During one session by Jen Serravallo I learned that developing a goal and planning reading instruction for an individual student could be strengthened when looking at that student through five different lenses. The lenses are:

• Engagement
• Comprehension
• Fluency
• Print Work
• Conversation

Assessment comes in many forms and is more than standardized testing like NECAPS or a Universal Screening Running Record. Teachers can gather data using multiple tools (for example: Classroom Running Records, Logs, Notebook Jots, Writing, Post-it Notes, etc.) in order to get a broader picture about a student’s level of engagement, comprehension skills, fluency, ability to decode and solve words, and skills when talking about books with others. Student strengths and needs are both determined and targeted instruction can be planned.

During our weekly Professional Learning Group meetings (PLGs) teachers have been collaborating and doing this work. K-1, 2-3, and 4-5 grade level teams have been developing goals and instructional plans for their students. We are also developing our skills within each area so that instruction in engagement, comprehension, fluency, print work and conversation is more effective and explicit. (More posts to follow about each one.)