Do you remember having a book read to you when you were little? Maybe you sat on your parent’s lap before bedtime and listened intently to a tale that was woven with interest and fascination. Or, maybe, you were sitting on a rug in elementary school eagerly waiting to see the next part of the tale as your teacher turned the page. If there’s something I’ve seen time and time again, it’s that little kids love reading. They love being swept away by new stories and fantastical images. In fact, thanks to my kids, I could probably recite every line of Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle or The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen.
So, when does this change, exactly? We all know, as kids get older, that love of reading often slips away. As a middle school teacher, I have heard some variations of the following sentences hundreds of times over the years: I’ve never actually finished a book on my own before. Books are so boring. I hate reading. The purpose of this post is not to delve into why this happens. I’ll save that for another day. However, as an ELA teacher, I do believe it is part of my job to try and foster a love of reading within my students. So, how do I do this? In short, I strive to make reading a social experience.
Think about it—if there is one thing students are good at, it’s talking. And, what do they like to talk about most? Anything they’re interested in. They will talk all day long about something they’re excited about. So, let’s tap into that need to be social and refocus it towards reading. How, you ask? Here are the top 5 tips on how I make reading social, and, in turn, foster a love of reading in my classroom.
1. Do Read Alouds
A read aloud is exactly what it sounds like–a book you choose to read out loud to your students. Wait…isn’t that just for little kids? No! Do you know how popular the audiobook industry is right now? Everyone likes to listen to stories.
When I was in college, my two sisters and I were crammed in the back seat of a car on our way home from a quick road trip. We were bored, and I noticed the book Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn stuffed under one of the car seats. I took it out, and my oldest sister started reading it aloud to us. Let me tell you something…we were entranced. There were giggles and gasps. We took turns reading aloud when one of us got tired. We only got through a few of the chapters, but we were hooked! You better believe I ended up finishing that book.
Sometimes students just need a push to start reading. That’s exactly what a read aloud can do. It can entice them so much that they pick up a book they maybe never would have before, and read it. Some nuances go into a read aloud, so below are some of my tips and tricks on planning a good read aloud:
Plan Ahead:
- You do not just want to grab a book from your classroom shelf and start reading. You always need to preview what you’re reading before you read it for a couple of different reasons. First, you want to make sure it’s appropriate to read aloud. Second, you want to make sure it’s a book that will capture their interest within the first chapter. If it’s a slower start, many students–especially struggling readers–won’t want to continue the book on their own.
Use Audiobooks:
- If you’re a secondary teacher, you have multiple classes–sometimes up to 8 in a day. If you want your voice to hold up throughout the day, I would suggest finding the audiobook version of the book you want to read aloud. If you have a library card, you can connect to the Libby or Overdrive app and rent audiobooks for free! Just beware, there could be a wait time if they’re already checked out, so plan ahead! I just connect my phone to a portable speaker and press play.
Give Them a Small Taste:
- Read just enough to capture their interest and make them want to pick up the book and continue it themselves. Many teachers stop at the first chapter (which is totally fine!). I like to choose a spot that ends at some sort of cliffhanger or big point of interest. Sometimes that’s at the end of chapter 1, and sometimes it’s in the middle of a chapter. I also like to ensure it’s only between 10-15 minutes of class time. This is where the planning ahead comes into place as well.
Set a Schedule:
- It’s really easy to push this to the side to get to the prescribed curriculum, but if you set a schedule you’re more likely to keep read alouds in the mix. Many teachers do First Chapter Fridays as a nice way to end the long week. Choose the day that works best for you and stick to it. Having a routine that you don’t skip will show students how important you value reading and sharing books with others.
Keep a Visual Log:
- I like to print out the cover of each book I do a read aloud for and hang each poster in the back of the room. That way, students can easily identify the cover of the books when they go to the library. Bonus: it creates a nice, colorful display in the classroom.
Keep an Interest Rating Sheet:
- I like to have students rate their interest level after they listen to the read aloud. This allows them to keep track of books they might want to read. On the tracking form, I give students, I leave a little space for them to sketch an image while they listen. I tell them it can be anything that comes to mind as they’re listening. For example, the other day, I had a student draw a hotdog because the main characters were eating lunch in the school cafeteria and that’s the meal that popped into her mind. It’s not graded. It’s just something to keep them occupied while they’re listening. Snag your copy of my Read Aloud Interest Rating Form here!
2. Give Book Talks
Book talks are short conversations to share books you love with others. It’s really a mini book commercial to convince others to read the book. Book talks take less time than read alouds, but have a similar effect. When giving a book talk I like to include some type of hook to reel them in, a brief summary of the book that introduces the main characters and conflict (without giving anything major away), and I like to tell them reasons why they might like the book too.
Later in the year, I like to have students give book talks. These could be informal to a small group, or they could be a more formal “speech” in front of the class. What I tell my students is it’s important to pick a book they’ve read this year that they have really liked because they’ll be more passionate about sharing it with their classmates.
Because some students struggle with the format of a book talk, I model for them throughout the whole year how to do this. I also let them use templates on Google Slides ™ to help organize their thoughts. Check out my templates from my TPT store if you are interested:
- Realistic Fiction Template
- Science Fiction Template
- Fantasy Template
- Mystery Template
- Scary/Horror Template
- Historical Fiction Template
- Graphic Novel Template
- BUNDLE (all templates above included)
3. Create “What I’m Reading” Displays
At my school, we have a reading time where all students and teachers read a choice book for 20 minutes each day. Many teachers will hang up in their door window a picture of the book they’re reading. You can also celebrate what you’re reading by printing the cover of your current read and hanging it up in your classroom. Check out these “What I’m Reading” Signs from my TPT store if you want a template to work with when printing your book covers.
Students will love these signs too! If your students have access to printers, you can have students hang up their current reads on their lockers, in your classroom, or even have them put them on the front of their class binder. Talk about starting conversations around books! Imagine walking by a student’s locker and hearing “I’ve read that book! It’s so good!” or “Oh, that cover is awesome. What’s that book about?” You’ll be blown away at the conversations students can have about books if they’re directed towards them.
4. Surround Students with Books
For students to want to read and talk about books, you need to surround them with books–preferably newer books if possible. There are a couple of ways to do this. One idea is to take them to the school library once a week. I usually take my students on Friday for about 10 minutes just to let them return books and check out new ones. This priority of taking them subtly lets them know that books–and taking the time to find new reads–is important.
Also, if possible, try to have a classroom library with a little reading corner. Many schools will provide teachers a stipend to buy books for their classrooms. Every book in my classroom library I have bought on my own. I don’t propose teachers do this, but I think it’s vital there is choice in the classroom, and I want to provide that for them. I don’t buy the books new, but I look at thrift stores for some good purchases and have been lucky at places like that. Another source that I have recently started using is Book Outlet. They have newer titles for great discounts. The books are mostly from excess inventory. All the books I have bought from them have been in great shape with maybe a dot on the edge or a sticker on the cover. Sidenote: I am not affiliated with Book Outlet, I just like sharing good things when I find them!
5. Allow Student Choice
To make reading social, kids have to be reading something they actually want to read. There’s nothing worse than being forced to read a book you hate. Student choice is so important. For independent reading time, I don’t even worry so much about them choosing books that are in or slightly above their reading level. Don’t get me wrong, I will try and steer them towards more challenging books if I think they’re not meeting their potential. But, the right to choose what they want to read is so important. I would rather them read something than nothing. I also tell students they have the right not to finish a book that they have started. Students are often shocked when I tell them to pick a different book when they’re only on chapter 3 or 4. If they don’t like it, they don’t like it. Start over with something better!
One last note about this: While I allow choice, many students still have no idea what books to pick. This is where read alouds and book talks come in. However, this is also where you as a teacher need to know your students as readers. If you know what they like, you can recommend books to them. I always love giving this Google Slides ™ reading inventory at the beginning of each year. Students have fun filling it out, but I can also use it throughout the entire year. If I notice a student is struggling to find something, I’ll open their digital survey and see what they’re interested in. Then, I will find books tailored to their likes and bring those to their attention. This survey has saved me many times from students sitting in reading limbo!
You don’t have to start all five of these at once if it’s too overwhelming. Start with one and go from there. Keep adding as you feel comfortable. I promise if you make reading social, it can bolster the reading lives of your students.
Before you go, don’t forget to grab your copy of the FREE read aloud rating sheet for students to keep track of books they might want to check out!