I love to read (almost as much as I love to write). Books, magazines, newspapers, websites, blogs, my friends’ Facebook posts—it doesn’t matter. Yet the quality and quantity of these disparate types of writing leave me with an almost inescapable feeling of disconnection. When I finally sit down on a Sunday night and slip forty pages into a good book, all becomes right with the world again.
With status updates, homework, video games, sports, and other extracurricular activities all competing for a student’s attention, it’s no wonder required reading and, more importantly, pleasure reading take a backseat (too often a way-in-the-back seat).
Do your students struggle with their required reading? What are your tips for keeping a good reader on track or motivating a reluctant reader to get lost in a good book?
I’ll have more questions about reading, readers, and good books all this week. Join the conversation. We want to read what you have to say!