Kristen Duncan Blog #4 "Why Not? What Works?" Section 2-Moss

                Moss states that “Students reading on their own is an essential practice”.  This statement is really the most important sentence and defines everything we are talking about in our class.  Independent reading develops many important characteristics of reading including; improved fluency and comprehension, more understanding of background knowledge, self-motivation to read, it broadens vocabulary, and increases reading achievement.  So why if independent reading improves all these things do we not make time for it??  To spend more time doing busy work that we feel will Improve test scores?  What we as teachers are missing is that THIS in reality will improve our test scores!  Studies have shown that students that have spent time reading outside of school did better on standardized test than students that didn’t (Moss).  Then there is the argument that what about the students that don’t read outside of school?  Are they not capable? Are they not good readers?  Because they are not good readers, they don’t read?  That may be true, so this is even more the reason to give our students that independent reading time.  To grow as independent readers they need time to read, good places to read, books that they enjoy, and then a chance to talk about what they read.  All this combines for a good reading experience which makes students want to continue reading, which in turn makes them want to read out of class, which finally results in that first thing we talked about that students who read outside of school do better on standardized tests.  So while there may not be a direct correlation, there is a correlation.

                This chapter goes back to simply making time.  If we want our students to do better on standardized tests, the answer is not to do more busy work, more work sheets, and more questions, the answer is to let them read.  And while they are reading we are allowing them to expand their vocabulary, letting them dig deeper into the background knowledge of books, all the while increasing reading comprehension. Again, there is no set time, there is no set genre of book.  Just let them read; 20 min, 30 min, whatever the day allows.  And let them read what they want, anything that interests them!!  Moss is right; students want “choice”!  I would much rather read something that interests me, over something that I “have” to read for school!  I wouldn’t want a set time all the time, or a set book.  Just let students have some time to read what they choose!  Free time for them to enjoy reading!  It doesn’t matter what reading method you are taking just use it effectively and correctly, not just to consume time!  After this becomes a routine, and this practice is back in our teaching daily; we will see the results in increased scores!