In order to develop the necessary stamina and endurance for the volume of reading required in upper elementary school grades, middle school, and beyond, students need to choose books that they are able to read with relative ease in independent reading time during the reading workshop. Having endurance for longer reads means that student readers learn to focus on the task at hand and stay with the work of reading and/or responding to the text, constantly being metacognitive (thinking about one’s own thinking).ĭuring independent reading, students learn to be flexible, trying out new strategies they’ve acquired through new minilessons, reading conferences, and end-of-workshop final reflections. Often, teachers will provide seating options and review them occasionally with students, emphasizing that students need to make good choices to maximize the power of independent reading sessions in school. ĭuring independent reading time, our students learn to set purposes for reading their chosen material and learn to choose a smart place to engage in the task at hand. That means they need to learn to read without being distracted or without distracting others. Many reading experts including Richard Allington, past-president of ILA and noted researcher (2002, 742) note that “Extensive reading is critical to the development of reading proficiency.” We all want our readers to use this independent reading time in school to the best of their ability. As little as 15 minutes of in-school reading has a profound impact students who read independently for that amount of time significantly increased their reading performance, with more profound gains for below-average readers.” (Literacy Leadership Brief: The Power and Promise of Read Alouds and Independent Reading, International Literacy Association, 2018, pg. Without this frequency and duration, students may not develop appropriate stamina. Independent Reading Time Makes a Difference!Īccording to the International Literacy Association, “…independent reading must occur each day for at least 15 minutes. How can we best create a culture for reading longer, more difficult texts that require attention, dedication to the task at hand, and finding a smart place to read in order to concentrate and stay focused? Some upper elementary and middle school children admit they have not read many books (or even one) from cover to cover. Too often, students give up when required to read longer and more difficult texts. According to Jean-Jacques Rousseau, to be able to endure is the first lesson a child should learn because it’s the one they will most need to know. When students lack stamina, reading becomes a frustrating and unpleasant experience, so students tend to read as little as possible, jumping from one book to another, even engaging in “fake reading.” Today, reading is a life skill needed for college and career success, as well as for the joy that a personal reading life brings. It is particularly important for today’s students who engage in text messaging, social apps, gaming and other forms of online interaction to have a space where they can settle down for an extended time with a good book, one that they have chosen to read, and get in “the zone,” something that Nancie Atwell has talked about in her book, The Reading Zone, 2nd Edition: How to Help Kids Become Skilled, Passionate, Habitual, Critical Readers ( see review). As readers, we build stamina for reading by reading. Stamina can apply to many things we do, such as exercise, playing a musical instrument, developing skills and moves as a ballerina, solving complex mathematical equations, or painting. Stamina is our ability to do something or “carry on” for a long period of time. Stamina and Endurance Lead to Reading Success It also will give students a chance to build their stamina and endurance for the volume of reading that will be required in secondary and college classrooms. This routine helps students develop positive attitudes about reading through a wide range of interesting choices that increase motivation and engagement for reading. If we want all our students to be successful in finding the time to read daily, we need to give them this time in our reading blocks in school. Allyn and Morrell tell us, “Reading is a great equalizer that has the power to break down the typical barriers to education, those invisible walls built around coveted zip codes and elite institutions.” (2016, 18).
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