Starting with Text Selection
Before you have your first discussions about reading with your student he/she will need something to read. A good place to start, is with the texts your child has already selected to read independently (or for school) and then progress toward selecting reading materials together (a few significant pages from a book, a short story, an article from a newspaper or magazine). Choice is a big factor in motivation, so if your child is uninterested in reading a book that he/she did not choose, you may want to hit the public or school library together, talk about what might be interesting to your child, and allow him/her to pick out a book they are interested in reading. Providing children with a variety texts to choose from and encouraging then to make choices will foster ownership of literacy (Au & Assam, 1996; as cited by Guthrie & Knowles, 2001). As your child begins to see him/herself as a reader, he/she will be more apt to continue to love reading if he/she associates positive feelings and experiences with literacy activities. Make all the recommendations you'd like, especially since you are keenly aware of the interests of your child, but resist the temptation to choose the text for your child. It won't yield the same results.
Reading is positively affected by the social nature of a conversation, but motivation to read is supported by the models of literacy your child is exposed to at home and at school. As you engage in discussion about a particular text your child will develop new interpretations and understanding of that text. The act of choosing reading material together is a positive interaction that supports interests and attitudes about reading as a relevant and meaningful activity. You might find yourself re-connnecting with books from your past that allow you to share pieces of your literacy autobiography, finding texts that deal with topics you would like your child to know more about, or discussing issues and topics with your child that would have never come up.
Conventionally, teachers categorize texts into three levels: independent, instructional, and frustration. Independent texts are "just right"; students can read with ease and understanding on their own without any assistance. Instructional texts are those texts that present an accessible challenge for students, but that challenge is only accessible through interaction with a more proficient reader (parent, teacher, tutor, peer). Research indicates that struggling readers often have a hard time reading textbooks in content classrooms (Allington, 2009). Helping children choose texts they can read by themselves and with a little help will add to their opportunity to read successfully and help them grow in confidence and ability. A big factor that determines the decision between independent and instructional texts is how much interaction you will be having in the reading of the text. Reading on the instructional supports growth. Reading on the independent level promotes fluency and self-confidence. Either level is effective for practicing strategies and having discussions; instructional level texts just require you to be more involved in during the reading process to help your student negotiate any barriers to understanding.
References
Guthrie, J.T. & Knowles, K.T. (2001). Promoting reading motivation. In Verhoeven, L. & Snow, C. (Eds.),
Literacy and motivation: Reading engagement in individuals and groups (pp. 159-176). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence
Erlbaum Associates, Publishers,.
Allington, R. (2009) What really matters in response to intervention: Research based designs. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
How to Pick an Appropriate Text: Use the Five Finger Test
This is an easy, kid-friendly way to pick a text:
1. Read any paragraph from the selection
2. As you are reading raise a finger for any word that you are unfamiliar with
and that affects your ability to understand.
3. At the end of the paragraph, look to see how many fingers are up and use
the guide below.
Finger Guide
0-1 This book might be too easy
2-3 This book is just right
4 This book will present a challenge. You might need some help.
5 This book will be frustrating to read. Choose another.
1. Read any paragraph from the selection
2. As you are reading raise a finger for any word that you are unfamiliar with
and that affects your ability to understand.
3. At the end of the paragraph, look to see how many fingers are up and use
the guide below.
Finger Guide
0-1 This book might be too easy
2-3 This book is just right
4 This book will present a challenge. You might need some help.
5 This book will be frustrating to read. Choose another.