Reluctant readers…we’ve all had them and we’re always looking for ideas to help them. These are the readers who just haven’t learned to love reading…YET! For whatever reason, reluctant readers don’t show any interest in reading, and often hide their feelings for reading and simply avoid reading at all costs. In my first grade classroom, it’s acting out during reading time, always asking to use the bathroom or getting a drink (which I don’t let them do) and just doing whatever they can to not read. Over the years, I’ve come up with some ways that I get my reluctant readers to at least LIKE reading. I can’t promise a love of reading immediately, but these tips may help your reluctant students begin to enjoy reading at least a little bit. ????
Here are some of my best tips and tricks for what you can do when you have a reluctant reader.
1. Read aloud all the time
It’s no surprise that this is my #1 way to support your reluctant readers. Reading aloud is my favorite thing to do in my classroom and with my own sons. When you show a love of reading to your readers, that love of reading is often contagious and your readers, whether they’re your students or your own children, will begin to love reading too. The book choice is really important and you want to choose books you know your reader will love.
Here are some of my favorite books to read aloud throughout the year. Click >>HERE<< or on the image below to get read aloud lesson plans and activities your students will love for all of these books.
I’ve got a book for you to check out that your reluctant readers may just connect with. When my Instagram friend (yes, that’s a thing, we met on IG) asked me to review her new book, I was excited to help her out. Elle Montemayor wrote Books in the Park and I can’t wait to tell you about it.
Dawson is a boy who likes a lot of things, except reading. One day he’s playing in the park when all of his friends come too but they go to listen to a teacher read a book instead of play. Dawson joins them and learns how truly amazing books can be. He realizes that books take you on adventures and is so disappointed when the teacher closes the book. You’ll be surprised to see how this book ends.
If you have reluctant readers like the little boy, Dawson, this book would be a great starting point.
Whatever books you do pick to read aloud, make sure you love them so that enthusiasm can be contagious and they’ll start begging you to read more books.
2. Give them a choice
3. Start them on a series
4. Support their reading
5. Get parents to support you at home
Reading at home should be something that is fun and encouraged. While it is important for students to be reading books at their independent reading level at home, if you have a reluctant reader, getting them to like reading is the goal and encouraging parents to read aloud to their reader is what needs to happen right now.
One way I encourage reading at home is with my family read aloud books. Through Donors Choose and collecting books from places like Goodwill and garage sales, I have grown my collection of family read aloud books. These are books that are above my students reading level, but perfect as read aloud books. At the beginning of the year, my students bring home one family read aloud book a night. This is the only book they bring home. Parents are encouraged to read aloud this book, or others if they prefer, and talk about the book. At our first parent-teacher team conferences, we discuss and demonstrate how to read aloud these books. Their homework every night is to be read to. We talk a lot about when this can take place, who can read to them and what it looks like. As the year goes on, they eventually take home independent reading books, but they continue to take a family read aloud book home each night as well.
Through the year I switch out the books in each bin so they get new books to share at home with their families. Both my students and their parents have shared that they LOVE this homework and the time they spend together as a family reading. I really need to write an entire blog post about this, but for now, it’s my last way to encourage reluctant readers.
So there you have it. If I really think about it, if you have reluctant readers, I think the very best thing you can do is read to them in school and at home. Growing those happy experiences around reading is so important and reading aloud will do just that. The other strategies are great ones to try too. I hope you found this helpful and found at least one thing you can try for your reluctant readers.
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