Be a Voracious
Reader
Be a Voracious Reader
The more time children spend reading, the better readers they become. This is an important concept for students to understand while they are developing attitudes about the value of reading.
Good readers know that the more you read the better you get.
Being a voracious reader is a lifestyle developed over time. Becoming a fluent reader is a product of this lifestyle.
1. Model a love of reading every day.
2. Build a strong reading community within the classroom. Students need to believe that reading is “who we are” and “what we do.”
3. Establish a sense of urgency to become a proficient reader. Revisit “the need to read” concept often.
4. Read to students from a variety of texts. Use notes, instructions, directions, labels, websites and blogs, pamphlets and brochures, advertising, personal letters, packaging, magazines and more to demonstrate the vast array of reading materials.
5. Students must have time to read independently daily.
Point out that learning any new skill requires practice to become proficient. Talk about relevant examples such as playing soccer or riding a bike. Students can share their own experiences and then relate back to the importance of time spent reading. It can be fun to develop a class mantra…The more you read, the better reader you get.
Be on the lookout for quality beginning readers. It is critical to have a wide selection of early readers for students to browse through to find topics of interest. Since students can go though predictable readers quickly, add to your “read the words” books collection as often as possible.
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Provide support for children who struggle with selecting books and managing their book boxes. Helping students find “good-fit” books is always at the center of book shopping. Some children select far too many books while others have trouble picking more than two. Other students can’t quite remember the system for putting books away. Periodic checks and purging helps children who “store” random items in their book boxes get organized. Any guidance given here will pay off; students will spend more time with their eyes on “good-fit” books.
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Encourage voracious reading at home:
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Send a variety of reading material home for children to read independently and with their parents.
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Communicate literacy tips with parents through newsletters.
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Support family school-wide literacy events such as: book fairs, story-time nights and author visits.
