Encourage Independent Reading at Home

Children can find great literature to read independently at home, school, the library, bookstores, and from friends and relatives. The main purpose of this nightly reading is to develop the lifetime habit of reading for pleasure and information. Nightly reading also reinforces the reading strategies and habits being developed at school and at home. Students learn to self-select books that are appropriate to their reading level and interests, take responsibility for reading these books and carrying them between home and school each day, and take proper care of their books.

Students are expected to read each night for about twenty minutes or more. The books students choose to read independently should, for the most part, be books they can read with little assistance. Occasionally, students may choose to tackle a “challenging” book, but this should be the exception. Students develop reading skills, vocabulary, and confidence by reading materials that can be handled easily, or with little help; difficult material often cause students to feel frustrated. Students are also encouraged to read other materials, such as magazines, newspapers, instructions, etc.

While the requirement is that students read nightly, teachers and parents must take care to encourage the reading without making it a dreaded assignment. Above all, we want our students to choose to read because they want to, not because someone is mandating it. Let’s help students focus on the pleasure that reading can bring.

Mr. Maloof
credit: Regie Routman

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