LIBE 477B: MODULE 5: FOSTERING READING CULTURES IN SCHOOL: When Reading Isn't Cool

Over the years our school has tried a number of different initiatives to promote reading.  Fostering reading cultures in school is an ongoing challenge for children "who don't like to read."  We have silent reading every day, school wide for 1/2 hour.  Some students enjoy the time, others struggle with reading independently.  

One way that we encourage students to read are through computer assisted programs that can read to them like Kurzweil and audio books.  Other ways are to read to them, introduce new books, explore their interests and purchase books that they will get excited about.  

https://virl.bc.ca/read-watch-listen/listen/audiobooks/

I have shown the grade K/1/2 class how to "search" for books using our school library site.  This has been a great way to allow students the opportunity to look for books and to find them on the shelf based on the call number and author location.  

Students get excited to find books where they are supposed to be and very disappointed when the books aren't there.  (I found this out the hard way, but took it as an opportunity to explain the importance of returning books to the library for others to enjoy).

In the past we have had a "Story Telling Night" where parents, children and staff wore their pyjamas to school and read stories together.  This was a great event and so much fun! (before Covid).  My favourite book to read was The Stinky Cheese Man and other Fairly Stupid Tales, by John Scieszka and Lane Smith.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stinky_Cheese_Man_and_Other_Fairly_Stupid_Tales

I found that if the children I was reading to had never heard the "original" fairy tales, it was far less entertaining to them.  They couldn't get the humour as they weren't aware of the twist on the original story.  

We also celebrate Literacy Day by inviting community members to come into our school and read to the children.  This is always well received and a hit with the children being able to see community members in a different role.  Ms. Nelson organizes this event every year and chooses prominent people in our community to participate.(i.e.Dr./Mayor)

Another way we promote reading is by having "buddy reading" with the local daycare children.  Little ones as young as 2 1/2 come into our school to be read to by my class.  This has been on ongoing thing (before covid) for more than 6 years.  

My sister is the supervisor of the Amlilas Daycare program and we arranged for buddy reading every 2 weeks.  This was a leadership role for my students (grade 5-7) and an opportunity for me to instruct them on questioning during reading, doing a picture walk, and think about and assess what children might like to have read to them and why.  

The most rewarding aspect of the buddy reading program was where students who had difficulty engaging in reading were wonderful buddy readers!  They worked really well with the small children, were patient, entertaining and were trusted by their buddies.  It brought tears to our eyes to see the pride my students  had when they were able to keep the children's attention and further their love of books. 

My role as an ELL teacher, (English Language Learning) allows me to teach children how the english language works, how letters work together to form words, i.e. the "reading rules."  

I believe that until a child can "read" they won't be able to enjoy reading independently.  I think of fun and interactive ways to "teach reading."  Soon coming with me isn't as much of a "chore" as it was at first perceived.  I love this part of my teaching role and love to see the AHA MOMENTS when children's understanding of how words work begins to mesh and they realize that learning to read can be fun!

Nanaimo school district has some fabulous resources for ELL and they are willing to share!  https://nlpslearns.sd68.bc.ca/instruction-assessment/ell/

While researching encouraging 21st-century learners I came across a number of sites that promote reading: 

https://www.readingrockets.org/helping

https://blog.allaboutlearningpress.com/motivating-kids-to-read/

https://betteringyouth.co.uk/blog/support-reluctant-readers

I worry that students' reluctance to read will impact their ability to become 21st-century learners.   Merga (2019) states "the poor independent reading skills of SLLs (Struggling Literacy Learners) pose a challenge for reading comprehension, making it difficult for them to make meaning of text" (p. 371).  Reading in the 21st-century is an essential skill.  Although there are ways around the barriers of not being able to read, I personally feel it disheartening when anyone is robbed of the opportunity and desire to pick up a book and read.  

Not being able to read and comprehend will affect a child's ability to become a 21st-century learner.  "Advanced literacy is a prerequisite to adult success in the twenty-first century...we mean the ability to use reading to gain access to the world of knowledge, to synthesize information from different sources, to evaluate arguments, and to learn totally new subjects" (Murnane, Sawhill, & Snow, 2012).  

As we know from research it is best to teach children when they are young.  The Destination Imagination STEM and Literacy Pathway for Early Learners (2014) does just that.  To promote literacy the guide encourages educators to read aloud, take a picture walk, introduce key concepts and vocabulary, read the text and check for comprehension, make predictions, summarize etc. (Pathways Roadmap, p. 11).

As I said before, much of the advice and strategies we are given, we are already naturally doing as educators.  New concepts like STEM/STEAM are using concepts we are already using, just under a different title like STEM.  

Reflecting on my personal reluctance to learn about STEM due to being overwhelmed by the concept of Engineering, Math and Science, I am finding that it's a new way to do what we are already doing so needn't have been so apprehensive towards something "new".

"Destination Imagination is committed to making the Early Learning Program Successful so that even our youngest learners have a head start in developing creativity, problem solving skills and the ability to work in teams-all of which are increasingly linked to success in today's world" (2012).

Websites

https://www.readingrockets.org/article/preparing-21st-century-learners

https://futureofchildren.princeton.edu/sites/futureofchildren/files/media/literacy_challenges_for_the_twenty-first_century_22_02_fulljournal.pdf

https://blog.allaboutlearningpress.com/motivating-kids-to-read/

https://www.bloomingtonsouthoptimist.org/14890/opinion/reading-isnt-fun-anymore-thanks-to-school/

https://betteringyouth.co.uk/blog/support-reluctant-readers

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/04250494.2019.1672502

https://nlpslearns.sd68.bc.ca/instruction-assessment/ell/

https://virl.bc.ca/read-watch-listen/listen/audiobooks/