Katy DeFouw August Blog

In chapter 3 of Routman’s Reading Essentials the author has numerous helpful tips to make me a better reading teacher.  The author expressed that it is so important to tell your students why you read.  I often tell my students how we need to learn to read because we have to follow directions, read newspapers, read text messages, read magazine, and read books. 

It is always disheartening when I ask my students, “Why do we have to learn to read?” and they respond with, “Because we have to.”  I feel it is important to establish a responsibility for reading and give my students real life reasons to show the importance of reading.  The text emphasized the importance of modeling reading whether it is whole group, small group, or independent reading.

I tell my students that even though it may sound silly, they can practice reading to their favorite stuffed animal, action figure, or doll.  This helps them practice fluency, practice reading aloud, and establishing a purpose to read.  I tell my students that I like to read to Ivy to practice before I come to school and read to them.  They think this is so funny that I will read to my dog, but it gets them interested in reading.