Practice Independent Reading in a SUPER fun way!
It's SUPER important to build students' reading stamina during independent reading time. At the beginning of the school year, we practice increasing independent reading stamina while also learning how to pick out "super fit books". I have a few tips and tricks that can help teach these things to your students in a fun and engaging way, and when you’re finished you’ll have a class full of “super readers!” My Super Readers Pack can be found on my Teachers Pay Teachers HERE.
On the first week of school, I briefly talk about being Super Readers and I keep books that I’ve picked out for students on table groups for students to read when they are finished with other academic tasks. It isn’t until the second week of school that I really begin to discuss and dive deeper into independent reading as an ELA station, and how it looks and sounds.
Picking Out “Super Fit Books”
Before letting students go and giving them any independent reading time during stations, you’re going to want to teach, discuss, and model how to pick out “super fit books.” I explain what a “super fit book” is (Do I like it? Does it “fit”? Does it help me?) and we create an anchor chart together where we sort different scenarios into three categories: too easy, too hard, and just right. This is a good time to model how to pick out books for yourself from the classroom library. I usually let students practice picking out 3 books for themselves to keep in their book bins.
What Do Super Readers Do?
On the second day, I briefly review picking out “super fit books” from the day before. I remind students that they made some great super fit book choices to keep in their book bins, and we would be practicing soon with them but we need to talk about what Super Readers do first. I display our Super Readers Do/Do Not Pocket Anchor Chart and we sort the scenario cards together. We talk about them all and I have students model each good thing that Super Readers do. I use the expectation visual to talk to students about what they should look like and I refer back to the visual often. I briefly have students come to the rug with their book bins and we practice being Super Readers for a short amount of time (about 2 minutes). I let students sit comfortably around the rug during this time (on their belly, legs sprawled out, etc.) because Super Readers can sit however they feel comfortable, just as long as they are in one spot and not bothering anyone else.
Introducing Our Super Reading Mats
On the third day, I introduce our Super Reading Mats. These mats help keep students on track and focused during independent reading, and they help to keep their books all together. I model how to grab my book bin and reading mat, open the mat, lay my books in a stack on one side, and begin to read. When I finish reading a book, I put it on the other side of the mat. Once I have finished reading all of my books, I read the second stack back over again until my independent reading time in that particular station is finished. I have students spread around the room with their mats and book bins and we practice doing what Super Readers do during this time. I only have students read for a few minutes.
What is Super Stamina?
On the fourth day, I introduce reading stamina. I use visuals to help support students so that they learn what reading stamina is. I teach them that the only way we can truly become Super Readers is if we keep working on building our super reading stamina each day. I review the reading mats from yesterday, and I tell students that I will be starting a timer to see how long we can all read as Super Readers today. I let students spread out, get settled with their mats and books, and we begin. As soon as I see someone not being a Super Reader (walking around, rolling around with a book on their head, saying “I’m done, now what?”), I turn off the timer and see how many minutes we made it. Honestly, it’s usually 1-3 minutes on the first day. I pass out our Super Reading Stamina Graphs and we all complete ours together for “day one” so we can see how many minutes we read as Super Readers today. I tell students that I am so proud, and I know our super stamina is only going to get better and better and I can’t wait to see how it goes each day! We practice our independent reading stamina (and record it) every day for 10 days. Then we get a certificate and crown when we are finished.
What Happens Next?
After your class is full of Super Readers, they’re ready to do independent reading as an ELA station each day. Students know that when they go to the “read to self” station, they are to model what they know about being a Super Reader during that time. I have 5 ELA stations that are 12 minutes each, so students are only expected to independently “read to self” for 12 minutes at a time.
I hope this helps you get ready to launch your students into independent reading time! Don’t forget that it’s good for students to have a variety of books that interest/entertain them, as well as books that are geared towards their specific reading development area (decodables). I can’t wait to hear about all of your sweet Super Readers! Happy reading!
