This chapter is all about determining and analyzing readers' favorite types of reading material, why they show these preferences, and how teachers can guide students to read more widely. Donalyn Miller gives her students a survey to reflect on and share their reading preferences which allows them to celebrate their growth as readers, and gives her information to use when planning units, making recommendations, and deciding requirements for genres to read. This helps teachers match books to their students. Allowing students to their own book choices show that we value their opinions and trust them. This type of reflection activity is a good starting point to build positive reading relationships with our students. When implementing reading workshop, its imperative that we know our students and their preferences, so we are able to guide them to make the best reading choices for themselves during the large amounts of independent reading time. Being able to widen our students' reading experiences means we must
widely read to give us expertise in the books we recommend to them. Readers' preferences guide the texts they choose, and we must give them the skills and confidence to be successful at doing so.
Preferences
All students have reasons for what they like to read. While acknowledging these preferences, we must expand their reading range. Students may show a fondness for reading: deeply from one genre or one author; fiction or non-fiction; series; graphic novels, magazines, or internet content; or rereading favorites. Suggesting new authors or books with similar plots or characters helps students independently find more books to read. Another thing we must do when talking to students about their reading is to value all the reading they do. Sometimes we may tend to think that graphic novels or internet texts aren't challenging enough, and are therefore not appropriate to read during class. However, as Donalyn Miller wrote on page 171:
Furthermore, rereading books once in a while is not a bad thing. Every wild reader does it. Rereading increases comprehension, enjoyment, and fluency too. Sometimes students reread because they just want to be inside the book again, or they want to "cement the knowledge of topics and ideas" (p. 175), or they don't know what else to read.
Genre Avoidance
Knowing what students read and why is important. Wild readers read widely. Are they rereading because they can't find another book? Are they only reading fantasy or non-fiction texts? When we notice students constantly rereading, abandoning books, or only reading a specific genre, that is when we need to help build their genre and author knowledge to sharpen their book picking skills. If a students loves reading non-fiction, perhaps we could suggest some historical fiction titles related to a non-fiction topic they've read about. This will widen the student's knowledge of the topic by incorporating a character's perspective on their experience with that topic.
However, sometimes students tend to feel that non-fiction is only for research and that only fiction books are fun to read. It is our job to incorporate non-fiction into our regular routine. Non-fiction texts are more engaging than ever, and we must expose students. Trying some of the following will increase students' title awareness, and background knowledge: add non-fiction to book talks, read aloud non-fiction texts, use non-fiction as mentor texts for reading or writing, read a non-fiction text that goes along with a topic or situation from a fiction text you've read, provide many opportunities or preview, read, and share texts read.
Scheduled time regularly helps us gauge students' progress toward their reading goals. Good reading habits should be included specifically several times to see if students are really reading (or fake reading) and to see if they are challenging themselves with the texts they choose. Talk with your students about their preferences for authors, genres and series. See if they are varying their text difficulty. Discuss how engaged a student is while reading at school and at home. Reflect together on how the student effectively tracks his/her reading. Make plans for future reading and discuss why any books have been abandoned (a skill that is good to have if its taught).
Miller's forty book requirement and genre requirement graph are two of my favorite ways for students to keep track of their reading. To me this seems like the most meaningful, and easy, way for students to track their reading. It gives them clear expectations and a visual of their progress.
In closing, exposing students to a wide range of quality texts, and explicitly teaching them how to preview books and recommend books is key for students to have the skills, title knowledge, and confidence to choose their own books to read.
Preferences
All students have reasons for what they like to read. While acknowledging these preferences, we must expand their reading range. Students may show a fondness for reading: deeply from one genre or one author; fiction or non-fiction; series; graphic novels, magazines, or internet content; or rereading favorites. Suggesting new authors or books with similar plots or characters helps students independently find more books to read. Another thing we must do when talking to students about their reading is to value all the reading they do. Sometimes we may tend to think that graphic novels or internet texts aren't challenging enough, and are therefore not appropriate to read during class. However, as Donalyn Miller wrote on page 171:To me this reiterates the fact that the more kids read, at all, they will naturally become better readers. It also shows me how important it is that teachers are aware of what their students are reading. Teachers should be talking regularly about WHY students are reading the books they choose, not just if they are reading accurately and comprehending. If a student or two is an unmotivated reader, its okay if they are reading below their "official" reading level, as long as they are reading something they enjoy! Naturally, they will move on and up in their choices because every book a student works through allows them to practice their skills."As Stephen Krashen and Joanne Ujiie (2005) assert, 'Many people are fearful that if children engage in 'light reading,' if they read comics and magazines they will stay with this kind of reading forever, that they will never go on to more 'serious' reading. The opposite appears to be the case. The evidence suggests that light reading provides the competence and motivation to continue reading and to read more demanding texts.' (p. 6)"
Furthermore, rereading books once in a while is not a bad thing. Every wild reader does it. Rereading increases comprehension, enjoyment, and fluency too. Sometimes students reread because they just want to be inside the book again, or they want to "cement the knowledge of topics and ideas" (p. 175), or they don't know what else to read.
Genre Avoidance
Knowing what students read and why is important. Wild readers read widely. Are they rereading because they can't find another book? Are they only reading fantasy or non-fiction texts? When we notice students constantly rereading, abandoning books, or only reading a specific genre, that is when we need to help build their genre and author knowledge to sharpen their book picking skills. If a students loves reading non-fiction, perhaps we could suggest some historical fiction titles related to a non-fiction topic they've read about. This will widen the student's knowledge of the topic by incorporating a character's perspective on their experience with that topic.
However, sometimes students tend to feel that non-fiction is only for research and that only fiction books are fun to read. It is our job to incorporate non-fiction into our regular routine. Non-fiction texts are more engaging than ever, and we must expose students. Trying some of the following will increase students' title awareness, and background knowledge: add non-fiction to book talks, read aloud non-fiction texts, use non-fiction as mentor texts for reading or writing, read a non-fiction text that goes along with a topic or situation from a fiction text you've read, provide many opportunities or preview, read, and share texts read.
Scheduled time regularly helps us gauge students' progress toward their reading goals. Good reading habits should be included specifically several times to see if students are really reading (or fake reading) and to see if they are challenging themselves with the texts they choose. Talk with your students about their preferences for authors, genres and series. See if they are varying their text difficulty. Discuss how engaged a student is while reading at school and at home. Reflect together on how the student effectively tracks his/her reading. Make plans for future reading and discuss why any books have been abandoned (a skill that is good to have if its taught).
Miller's forty book requirement and genre requirement graph are two of my favorite ways for students to keep track of their reading. To me this seems like the most meaningful, and easy, way for students to track their reading. It gives them clear expectations and a visual of their progress.
In closing, exposing students to a wide range of quality texts, and explicitly teaching them how to preview books and recommend books is key for students to have the skills, title knowledge, and confidence to choose their own books to read.
