Reluctant readers, or less confident readers sometimes need support and encouragement to find reading material they enjoy. This article will outline ways that teachers can support them to do this.
The Importance of Choice
Giving reluctant readers a choice over what they read is a powerful way to motivate them.
Access to Reading Material
Remember that reading does not just have to be fictional books. It might be non-fiction, comics or even Manga. Make sure that you either have access to this in the school library or consider arrange a book swap. Encourage them to read anything that they enjoy. No reading should be off the table, including more interactive types of reading.
Make them Reading Ambassadors
Think about making those pupils Reading Ambassadors or Reading Champions. It will hopefully help them to change the way that they see themselves. It might be that they are recommending books or reading with younger pupils. This post explains some of the roles and responsibilities of Reading Ambassadors.
Encourage Social Reading
In your classroom, try to encourage reading as a social activity. One where children sit together and share books and talk about what they are reading. Rather than reading in silence.
Encourage Reading Recommendations
One of the best ways to encourage reluctant readers is through peer or teacher recommendations. Once a term, ask pupils to bring in and share what they have read and enjoyed recently. If you have a knowledge of children's books you can do the same, or read a few pages from a selection of books or texts that you can display in the classroom.
Think out of the Box
Consider using book trailers as a way to introduce pupils to texts. Or maybe give pupils samples of texts throughout the week and leave texts on the class bookshelf. Or if you have a group of pupils, who really enjoy Manga encourage them to read it and then run a drawing competition.
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