Book Love

the benefits of helping our children

develop a love of reading

Barbara Robbins Literacy Coach with focus on Science and Math English teacher - 16 years at Staples brobbins@westport.k12.ct.us, 203-341-2424

Rebecca Marsick Literacy Coach with focus on English and Social Studies Taught 2nd -12th grades - 17 years in Westport (BMS and Staples) rmarsick@westport.k12.ct.us, 203-341- 1423

Think about your child/children as an elementary school reader

Did your child read in elementary school?

Did you read with your child in elementary school?

How did your child feel about reading in elementary school?

Think about your child/children as a middle school reader

Did your child read in middle school?

Did you read with your child in middle school?

How did your child feel about reading in middle school?

What about high school? Which image best represents your child?

“The single factor most strongly associated with reading achievement - more than socioeconomic status or instructional approach- is independent reading.”

-Stephen Krashen The Power of Reading

“Reading books is the only out-of-school activity for 16-year-olds that is

linked to getting a managerial or professional job later life.”

University of Oxford, 2011

“Regular reading not only boosts the likelihood of an individual’s academic

and economic success - facts that are not especially surprising-but it also

seems to awaken a person’s social and civic sense.”

“To Read or Not to Read” -NEA, 2007

Some Facts About ReadingThe only way to become a better reader is to read.

“Surveys conducted as part of the National Assessment of Educational Progress suggest the simplest of all solutions [for fostering improved reading]: Encourage and challenge children to read” (Education Week, 1999).

“The story the data tell is simple, consistent, and alarming. Although there has been measurable progress in recent years in reading ability at the elementary level, all progress appears to halt as children enter their teenage years” (NEA, 2007).

Single best predictor of how students will do on a standardized test is reading ability.

SAT past = ability to learn

SAT present = students who read for pleasure do better

reading rate matters, looking for strong comprehension skills (M.Ehrenworth, TCRWP, 2016)

Reading builds stamina and fluency: College professors expect students to read 200-600 pages of text A WEEK (Kittle, 2013).

60% of students drop out of hard majors between freshman and sophomore year because of complexity of reading. NOT textbooks, but articles and books. (M.Ehrenworth, TCRWP, 2016)

The Impact of Daily Reading

What are we doing at Staples?Advocating for more independent reading

Giving students choice through independent reading and book clubs (in English, Science, and Social Studies)

Teaching more explicit reading skills

Giving book talks in classes

Using Social Media to recommend books and share reading lives

Please stand if you are in (or have ever been in) a book club.

Turn and talk to a partner:

Why are you in the book club?

What keeps you in it?

Book Clubs…

are authentic

foster choice

require accountability

raise reading level

create a habit of lifelong reading

For sale: Baby shoes. Never worn.

Please note your: Reaction Questions Interpretation

What can you do at home?Share what you are reading (books, magazines, newspapers, etc.) with your children Read books with your children Set aside time for your child to read. Think about:

quiet areas of your house making sure distractions are put away

Talk to your child about what he/she is reading. Look at recommendations on social media with your child. Go to the library/book store and just browse. Talk about your own life as a reader.

Social Media for Good not Evil

Instagram: @marsickreads, @mrsherzog #shsreads, #staplesreads

Twitter: @rebeccamarsick, @westportsuper, @StaplesMrD, #stapleslearns, #staplesreads, #shslearns

Websites with great book recommendations:

http://weneeddiversebooks.org/

http://pennykittle.net/index.php?page=reading-lists

http://c-t-l.org/high-school-readers/

https://nerdybookclub.wordpress.com/

http://apps.npr.org/best-books-2016/

http://www.ala.org/yalsa/booklistsawards/booklistsbook

Goodreads, New York Times