how can we get students to read more?
Submitted by Dr. Shelia Bobo - Principal , EBC- East New York H.S.

1. Incorporate at least 15 minutes of sustained silent reading once a week.
Elicit summaries and reactions to the material. Build upon student responses
to  stimulate discussion.

2. Vary reading approaches during the lesson. The teacher might read
some  of the material aloud as a way to enliven the material. Call on a few
students to read aloud. Engage students in some silent reading, followed by
direct questioning.

3. Encourage students to do supplementary reading, especially "reading for
pleasure." Have them maintain a journal of what they read which includes
a short summary of each chapter and reaction to the material.

4. Have students read material in advance. Provide a few focus questions so that they come in prepared for a discussion.

5. In anticipation of the fact that some students may not have read the
material, choose a few passages to go over in class so they can get the
"gist."

6. Focus students on key vocabulary in the text. Encourage them to
figure out  the meaning of words as they are used in context.

7. Assign new vocabulary in advance. Students might be asked to look
up the meanings and maintain them in a personal glossary.

8. When assigning reading from a text, especially for HW, provide a short
writing assignment to help ensure that students do it. (e.g., Write a
summary or a reaction to the material).