5th and 6th graders are still getting used to the transition from “learning to read” to “reading to learn”. Too often, kids start to feel burdened by obligatory nightly reading assignments and disengage with the idea of “reading for fun”. Collaborative reading is the perfect remedy for this common issue. When reading is a shared experience and students are able to discuss, reflect, and read books with their peers, they’re more likely to ask questions, show ownership, and be more interested in reading overall. Our class has done two types of collaborative reading this year: Battle of the Books and book clubs. Both of which, have been even better than I hoped. I had never heard of “Battle of the Books” until I moved to Alaska. On the Alaska Battle of the Books homepage, I learned the interesting history of how Battle came to be: The Alaska Association of School Librarians (who sponsors and organizes this event) says that, “The goals of the program are to encourage and recognize students who enjoy reading, broaden reading interests, increase reading comprehension, and promote academic excellence.” Book lists are compiled each year and students across the state, of various age groups, immerse themselves in new texts. At PNA, grades 3-6 participated. Participation is completely voluntary, as kids took time out of their free periods to meet as a club. Our 5/6 team met twice a week—eating snacks, reading aloud, playing Kahoot games with comprehension questions, and essentially just socializing while talking about books. We had a blast! This past week the teams competed in the city-wide battle. Due to COVID restrictions, the entire battle took place over Zoom. The teams did an excellent job—one 5/6 team placed in 8th place and one 3/4 team took 3rd! While our students were excited for the competition, they all enjoyed the process along the way— gaining experience as collaborative readers and having fun with their friends. While only 9 of my students participated in Battle of the Books, all of my students have been involved in book clubs. First, we read books with specific themes (all involving social issues, empathy, or advocacy). They flew through those books and wrote impressive thematic essays about their learning. We just began our fantasy book clubs where all students are reading fiction novels in small groups. This week, our classes were jam-packed. Currently, ELA starts with a mini-lesson. We discussed the habits of “sophisticated readers of fantasy”. Our first two habits were to “research the setting” and “ask about power”. After the mini-lesson, students break out into their book clubs and discuss how the content they just learned (setting, for example) is present in their own book. The students work together to create a visual, organizing their thoughts. Afterward, each group presents their ideas to the rest of the class, no spoilers of course. The book club members choose their own nightly reading assignments; everyone must reach a consensus on the amount of pages per night. When students have a say in the direction of their learning, they are more apt to enjoy it and become invested. They know their peers are counting on them so they are more likely to follow through. Both Battle of the Books and these small group book clubs have been very successful at reaching students across the board. From reluctant readers to avid readers, both of these collaborative reading opportunities have been super successful for my students. These collaborative reading book clubs perfectly align with our creative writing workshop, which is our other current focus. However, that is a story for another day!
Comments are closed.
|
Elizabeth FerryMs. Ferry's experiences include teaching with the Peace Corps in Tanzania, teaching high school English in Maine, and this is her second year at PNA. She loves moose, outdoor activities, and being with her students. Archives
April 2021
Categories |