Reading....

Below are the posters we've made from some of our Reading Workshops. You can help your child become a better reader by using the same vocabulary and strategies at home that we use in school. Such as reading is thinking. Metacognition is thinking about your thinking. We read "just right" books. There are many ways we choose books. Also, it's okay to abandon books (within reason).

Studies show that fifth graders should read fifty books a year. It is also a fifth grade standard that students read various genres. I will be working with your child individually to set up a plan in order for him/her to be successful with reading about 50 books in various genres this year. Larger books count for more than one. (I don't want your child to select small books just for the count.) Magazines, newspapers, and reading online count towards books as well. I totally understand that every student is different and I want to work with you and your child to make him/her successful in pleasantly becoming a better reading. Please call, email, or come in with questions, comments, and concerns.

Reading is thinking!

Metacognition=

Thinking about your thinking

Choosing “Just Right” Books

Too easy:

• Not feeling challenged
• Don’t have to think
• Flying through the book
• You know every single word

Just Right:

• Not flying through it (reading too quickly)
• Not reading the book too slowly
• Read it at a good pace
• There are about 5 unknown words on each page
• It’s fun, you like it, it’s a good book
• You understand the sentences
• You have to stop and think once in awhile
• You make mind pictures
• The print isn’t too small or too big
• Not too many or too few pages—it’s a good length

Too difficult:

• You don’t understand it
• There are too many words you don’t know
• The print is too small
• Reading it very slowly
• You have to go back and reread too often
• You skip sentences too often
• You can’t focus—eyes skim through the words
• It’s too long
• Too many words
• Not interested

  Ways to Choose Books:

  · Look at the cover/inside jacket

  · Read the teaser/back of book

  · Read the first page or so

  · Read some of the middle

  · Browsed through the chapters

  · Make sure it’s “just right”

  · Favorite author

  · Part of a series

  · Sequel to a book we’ve read

  · Favorite genre

  · A friend recommends it

  · Interesting title

  · Great illustrations

  · New/popular book

  · Award winning

  · Read it before and loved it

  · Heard it read aloud

  · Watched the movie

  · Look at the Table of Contents

Why Readers Abandon Books

· It’s too difficult- you don’t understand it

· The book is boring

· You don’t like the genre

· The print is too small…too hard to read

· Too similar to another book

· It’s too repetitive

· Too much filler

· The book is too long

· It’s too easy

· It takes too long to get to the action

· Disappointing sequel

· It’s not fun to read

· It’s not what you though it would be

· It’s too short

· It’s too sad

· It’s too scary

· It keeps rambling on

· Expected something else from this author

· Don’t like the point of view

o 1^st person (I….)

o 2^nd person (you…)

o 3^rd person (he/she….)

· Found a better book

· Plot is too confusing

· Too many characters

· Not good for now but might go back to it