What is Independent reading?

Independent Reading is when students choose something to read that is at a level of difficulty so they can read fluently and understand what they are reading. It is something that students can do at any time of the day or night in any discipline, rather than just occurring once a day.

Selecting your book

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Good-Fit-Books-poster

Role of the teacher
The teacher monitors what the students are reading and confers with students and models good reading habits.Assessment for learning
Reading conference
Teacher confers with student during independent reading about their reading goals, and records reading progress in folder.Teacher conferencing questionsReading journal
Students records goal and reading progress
My reading rubric and goalsMy reading goals

Lesson structure
Learning intention
Success criteria
Teacher conferencing with individual students
Student independent reading
Student and teacher reflection in reading journal.

 

boy and booksSupporting resources

Independent reading, reading journals and classroom libraries

Wutz, Jessica Ann, and Wedwick Linda. “BOOKMATCH: Scaffolding Book Selection for Independent Reading.” The Reading Teacher 59.1 (2005): 16-32.

Dianne Snowball. 2011. Independent reading.

Snowball, Diane. Reading schemes as classroom literature [online]. Australian Journal of Reading, Vol. 8, No. 4, Nov 1985: 213-219

American Association and School librarians Independent reading and school achievement

Revolution school excerpts to come