It is important that when we give students silent reading time it is meaningful and purposeful. We try, in my classroom, to silently read daily for 15-20 minutes depending on our schedule, and what our “must dos” are for the day.
Students are reading their monthly self-selected (with teacher guidance) novels, a free choice novel or non-fiction from our class library. I give them a reading focus for the day based on our current reading or writing focus.
- Sometimes I ask them to find a word that is new to them or that they feel would be new to the class, define it and put it up on our word wall.
- Other times I give them a sticky note and ask the students to practice a reading strategy: making connections, inferring, predictions, summary, 3 new facts etc.
- Have reading conferences with students during your daily silent reading time to find out exactly what they are reading, when they are reading and their thoughts and opinions on the novel. You can find out a lot more by talking to students than always having them hand in paper.
- Use silent reading time to work with a guided reading group in your classroom. They do not all have to be reading the same novel, just working on the same strategy.
I change my reading focus activity daily because I use these quick checks as reading assessments to inform my teaching practice for whole/small group lessons.
What do you do in your classroom to make silent reading meaningful for your students? How do you hold them accountable?
Try this independent reading assignment with your students if you are looking for a way to structure your independent reading program.
I have created a full-year Independent Reading Assignment that works for my students. Students set reading goals for themselves with/without teacher assistance and with towards that goal for the month.
This independent reading assignment is a collection of 6 Independent Reading Tracking Forms and 1 Reading Journal Assignment. These reading tracking forms help students stay organized and purposeful during reading workshop or independent reading time. Easy-to-use assessment forms are included to ensure student accountability and less teacher marking stress. Find this resource on Shopify CAD and Teachers Pay Teachers USD.
-Reading Journal Assignment
-Reading Journal Assessment Rubric
-Independent Reading Genre Checklist *multiple formats
-Must Read Books Log
-Monthly reading goals and reflect sheets *multiple formats
-Reading Conferences Tracking Sheet
-Reading Conferences Questions for Fiction and Non-Fiction books
-Reading Check In Sheet