Day one of NDCTE 2018 started with Donalyn Miller, who has won several teaching awards and
earned the TCTELA’s Edmund J. Farrell Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award for her work
in the language arts teaching profession. You might know her as the "Book Whisperer" or the author
of the recently published Reading in the Wild.
earned the TCTELA’s Edmund J. Farrell Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award for her work
in the language arts teaching profession. You might know her as the "Book Whisperer" or the author
of the recently published Reading in the Wild.
Early in her presentation, she began with “start[ing] our conversation today.” This resonated with me.
I just finished co-facilitating the 2018 Summer Open Institute on argument writing in Bismarck, ND.
We started this institute with the idea of “entering a conversation” on argument writing. Here Donalyn
Miller started a conversation about reading: the way students’ interests get stamped out over time, the
way classrooms stifles independent reading by chopping independent reading time into smaller and
smaller chunks, the way classroom libraries dwindle, and the way library time gets extinguished.
I just finished co-facilitating the 2018 Summer Open Institute on argument writing in Bismarck, ND.
We started this institute with the idea of “entering a conversation” on argument writing. Here Donalyn
Miller started a conversation about reading: the way students’ interests get stamped out over time, the
way classrooms stifles independent reading by chopping independent reading time into smaller and
smaller chunks, the way classroom libraries dwindle, and the way library time gets extinguished.
Her argument: We need to nurture students’ passion for independent reading. Students need to “read
widely and in volume” in order to be college and career ready.
widely and in volume” in order to be college and career ready.
Student choice
She argues that we must give students choice. This doesn’t mean students get free-range over what
they want to read, but they should have some choice. A little choice can go a long way. Research
states that “allowing students to choose their own texts fosters engagement and increases reading motivation and interest” (Gambrell, Coding, & Palmer (1996); Worthey and McKool (1996); Guthrie & Wigfield (2000). they want to read, but they should have some choice. A little choice can go a long way. Research
Miller reminds us that students need scaffolded instruction. Even in book selection. She states that in
the beginning, students have difficulty picking books from a library. They need help. We need to scaffold
the decision-making making process. She advocates for giving students a book to read from a selected
group. This allows students some control over their decisions. With practice, students can get better at
making this choice. They pick better books, books that work within their interest and reading level and
books that help build a passion for reading.
the beginning, students have difficulty picking books from a library. They need help. We need to scaffold
the decision-making making process. She advocates for giving students a book to read from a selected
group. This allows students some control over their decisions. With practice, students can get better at
making this choice. They pick better books, books that work within their interest and reading level and
books that help build a passion for reading.
So, how do we do create these lists?
Preview stacks of books
These stacks include books in a student’s comfort zone, some that move them forward in difficulty, and
some that are out of their comfort zone in length and genre.
some that are out of their comfort zone in length and genre.
Book Commercials/Book Talks
If a book report proves that a student read a book, a book talk is supposed to persuade students to
read or not to read a book. But book talks can often turn into a conversation between the student doing
the talk and the teacher assessing it for grade. What happens when all of the boys in the class read
the same book because it is popular, it develops a life of its own, and circles around the room? Is it
useful or even an efficient use of time to hear 12 book talks on the same book? Miller suggests not
making it a requirement for every student to stand up and give a book talk. Instead, create a list of
students ready to give a book talk and use it as filler time. Three minutes before lunch? Do a book
talk from the list. Two minutes before recess? Do a book talk. Miller doesn’t grade these. Instead,
she allows them to be moments of excitement about a book. And it gets her and a group of bored
students being actively talked out of reading a book while listening to the tenth book talk on a single
book. Imagine this: students do book talks, you do book talks, the librarian does book talks, the
principal does book talks over the announcements. The exposure to books matters and the sharing
of books matter.
read or not to read a book. But book talks can often turn into a conversation between the student doing
the talk and the teacher assessing it for grade. What happens when all of the boys in the class read
the same book because it is popular, it develops a life of its own, and circles around the room? Is it
useful or even an efficient use of time to hear 12 book talks on the same book? Miller suggests not
making it a requirement for every student to stand up and give a book talk. Instead, create a list of
students ready to give a book talk and use it as filler time. Three minutes before lunch? Do a book
talk from the list. Two minutes before recess? Do a book talk. Miller doesn’t grade these. Instead,
she allows them to be moments of excitement about a book. And it gets her and a group of bored
students being actively talked out of reading a book while listening to the tenth book talk on a single
book. Imagine this: students do book talks, you do book talks, the librarian does book talks, the
principal does book talks over the announcements. The exposure to books matters and the sharing
of books matter.
Read Alouds
“Nothing builds community” like read alouds. Miller states that read alouds can give students access
to different genres, authors, and topics. It builds students’ capacity because through read-aloud
experiences, students have a name and idea of what they like and want. It helps them make decisions
when confronted with a large quantity of books, like in a library or a store. It helps them build their
own reading skills. “The read-aloud is the gift that keeps on giving--leading to student gains in:
vocabulary (Beck & McKeon, 2011), comprehension strategies and story schema (Van den Broek,
2001), [and] concept development (Pinnell & Fountas, 2011).”
to different genres, authors, and topics. It builds students’ capacity because through read-aloud
experiences, students have a name and idea of what they like and want. It helps them make decisions
when confronted with a large quantity of books, like in a library or a store. It helps them build their
own reading skills. “The read-aloud is the gift that keeps on giving--leading to student gains in:
vocabulary (Beck & McKeon, 2011), comprehension strategies and story schema (Van den Broek,
2001), [and] concept development (Pinnell & Fountas, 2011).”
Create lists with students’ voices
Students need to have input on the way books are displayed, sectioned, and listed. Create student
recommendation areas in your classroom library. Give students the power to create displays of
recommendations in your classroom. Borrow from Jeff Anderson and create a Reading Graffiti wall
by writing one sentence of their favorite books around the room or on a wall. Allow students to be
experts in genre, series, topics, and formats. Get their recommendation for new books to be added
into the classroom library.
recommendation areas in your classroom library. Give students the power to create displays of
recommendations in your classroom. Borrow from Jeff Anderson and create a Reading Graffiti wall
by writing one sentence of their favorite books around the room or on a wall. Allow students to be
experts in genre, series, topics, and formats. Get their recommendation for new books to be added
into the classroom library.
Want to read about students reading?
Engaging Adolescents in Reading by John T. Guthrie
In Defense of the Read Aloud: Sustaining Best Practice by Steven Layne
Writing About Reading: From Book Talk to Literary Essays, Grades 3-8 by Janet Angelillo
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