Students can struggle to develop an interest in reading for a variety of reasons. As teachers, we need to look for ways to help students discover or rediscover the joy of reading. In this article, Alloprof suggests strategies to pique your students’ interest and set them on the path to becoming avid readers.
Reading enjoyment is a key factor in academic success. If you want to foster a love of reading in your students, you need to provide them with a variety of options. Here are a few tips you can try in class:
Instill a love of reading in teens: If you teach high school students, try playing this video in class (available in French only) and discussing it afterwards. There is no such thing as a bad reader!
Choose texts that interest your students: Offer a wide range of books to satisfy many interests. In addition to traditional books, try audiobooks for students who prefer listening over reading, comics and graphic novels for those who like illustrations, and special-interest magazines for kids with a thirst for knowledge. Offering variety will help students discover their reading preferences. For high school readers, check out this online reading quiz, which generates reading suggestions based on a student’s personality.
Take a trip to the library: Libraries have plenty of cozy spots for children to read, and they give students access to books that your school may not have. Just like an experienced guide, the librarian can help your students uncover hidden gems.
Invite an author to your classroom: Thanks to the La culture à l’école program (link to available English authors) , your school could host an author-in-residence. Spending time with an author is a great way for students to broaden their horizons and maybe even learn to appreciate a new genre.
Reading can be incorporated into many different games. By creating fun learning scenarios, you have a better chance of getting your students excited about reading. Here are a few ideas to try:
Book discovery events: Plan a scavenger or treasure hunt, a mini book fair, or a literary “tasting.” For the tasting, create a menu that features books instead of dishes so that students sample different writers as they go from station to station. This activity is a fun way to apply the Daily 5 framework.
Book teasers: Pique your students’ curiosity by reading them the first chapter of a captivating book, then encouraging them to read the rest on their own.
Alloprof’s Book of Spells: This reading comprehension game encourages a love of reading by having players answer interactive questions to help their adorable little monsters grow.
Students need a cozy, welcoming space in the classroom where they can immerse themselves in the world of books. Simple changes like these can have a big impact:
Set up a reading nook with your students: Ask them to organize books by theme, author, colour, etc. You can also have students take turns being in charge of the reading nook (i.e., decorating it and keeping it tidy). Add a few poufs or cushions—donated by parents, perhaps—to make the nook even more inviting.
Keep your library well stocked with the help of students and parents: Hold student book exchanges, decorate a bin for storing books that are ready to be traded, switch up the book supply, feature different authors and themes, etc.
By helping students understand the importance of reading in daily life, they will learn that reading is not strictly academic, but in fact essential to our understanding of the world. Try these activities to integrate reading into your students’ lives:
Discuss how reading fits into your day-to-day (this is especially important for kids who avoid it): Talk about what you enjoy reading—recipes, novels, biographies, the daily news, comics, etc.—and why.
Connect with families: Instead of simply asking parents to fill out a daily reading log, work with them to motivate students to read regularly at home so that becomes a hobby they enjoy. Be sure to acknowledge that making time to read every single day will not always be possible.
Discuss this list of “readers’ rights” with your students: Do they agree with everything the author proposes? Are there situations where certain rights would not apply? Consider having students draft their own charter of readers’ rights in class or as homework.
Create a rapid-fire question jar to spark discussion: Each time a student finishes a book, have them draw a question from the jar and share their answer with the class. Older students can explain their answers or include details from the book. Younger students may prefer a multiple-choice format or having the option to draw their answers. Here are a few sample questions:
How did you feel while reading the book?
What word would you use to describe the main character in your book?
Why did you choose this book?
Would you want to be friends with the main character?
Would you recommend this book to your friends?
Would you want to live in the world described in the book?
If you were the author, would you have written a different ending?
Try these strategies to improve your students’ individual and collective sense of accomplishment when it comes to reading:
Set group reading goals: Create a chart, thermometer, bar graph, or other visual aid to record the total minutes read by all students every day. Offer a small reward for hitting the monthly group reading time target, such as a class popcorn party, a trip to the park, or another special activity.
Use the Alloprof reading passport: Students can use this tool to keep track of the books they are reading and what they think of each one. They can also personalize their passport with drawings or stickers.