April is Drop Everything and Read Month (D.E.A.R). A national month-long celebration of reading designed to remind people of all ages to make reading a priority activity in their lives, because, what’s more fun(damental) than reading, really? In honor of D.E.A.R we have compiled ten ways to encourage students to read in hopes that this will help spark some ideas for cultivating a love of reading in your students.
5 Ways to Encourage Kids to Read:
1. Read! Sounds simple and is simple. If we’re going to encourage kids to read, then we need to do it too. Read for pleasure, information, instructions, connecting with others and so on. Just read. And read a little more than you’ve been reading lately.
2. Fill your room with books. Kids who grow up with books all around them learn to think of books as friends and allies in their pursuit of adventure and learning.
3. Be a good reading “role model” for your students. Let them see you reading, and how much you enjoy reading books and magazines. Share your reading experiences with colleagues, friends and students. Tell them what you’ve been reading, what you’ve gained or learned from these texts, what you recommend.
4. Encourage your students to find new books on their own to read. While showing your students books is a good way to build their interest level, a child who finds new books on their own can benefit from an increased sense of independence. Give students a choice in what they want to read. Children are more likely to read when their interests are taken into account and they have control of how and what to read.
5. Invite students to socialize around reading. Set up book clubs, reading groups, literature circles. Many students need to interact with each other around texts. It greatly enhances their comprehension and makes literacy in the classroom so much more enjoyable.
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