Reading in the Wild: Chapter 2

Wild Readers Self-Select 

Reading Material

Self-selection of reading materials provides students with ownership of their learning.  It gives them choice.  Where do students get ideas for their selections?

·         Book recommendations from the teacher or peers
·         Book commercials by the teacher or peers
·         Through the preview, sharing, and discussion of books
·         Read-alouds

              How do I (the teacher) choose a read aloud? 

§  Choose 5 authors that you think your students SHOULD know before they leave your class and read at least one book from each of these authors during the school year.

§  Make sure to share a variety of genres.

§  Consider time restraints.

§  Decide how students will view illustrations.  **Use the doc cam!**

§  Read books you enjoy because your enthusiasm shows.

§  Ditch the book if it doesn’t work and discuss why we are abandoning it.

o   Invite students to share their favorite read-alouds and compile a list to post and to give to parents after checking availability in both the school and public libraries  **Make sure each and every student has a book to share about prior to this activity**

o   WORLDREAD ALOUD DAY is the first Wednesday in March (03/04/2015)

o   Allow students to choose the next read-aloud from 3-4 options that you have previewed

o   Post a list of all read-aloud books near the classroom library to support students in choosing their own books

·         Creating a book buzzàhave drawings to select who gets to read the new books first
·         Why do we abandon books?  Discuss reasons with the students.  Provide an example of a time you abandoned a book to show that it is okay to abandon a book sometimes.
·         Lexile levels should NOT always be a consideration for self-selected texts.  Leave these books for guided groups or a level text provided by the teacher.  **Ouch!  I have a confession…I used to have students try to choose from the books that I determined to be in their ZPD (zone of proximal development).  That is changing now.**
·         Preview stacks can be provided to students that included a variety of books that may interest the student.  They choose one or two to read and write down the others they would like to read in the future.