Popcorn reading (one student reads and then “randomly” calls on a classmate) is a common practice among teachers. People seem to either love it or hate it. I am not personally a fan and something I read recently reinforces how I feel about this practice.
“It’s crazy to try to assess children’s reading abilities by simply asking them to read aloud. They might do it successfully yet have no understanding of the text at all, and that’s not reading! We need to chat with them about what they’re reading to ensure they comprehend what’s happening in the story, to find out if they’re in the “world” of the story, to discover if they’re really reading or not.”
Mem Fox (2008). Reading Magic, p. 107
This quote is found in “Hi-Impact Reading Strategies” by Bryce Hedstrom. If you are a language teacher (including ELA), YOU NEED THIS BOOK! Bryce walks through 4 important components of reading in the classroom. He includes multiple quotes and evidence backing each of his strategies. There are even student handouts and project ideas.
When I was student teaching, I taught a novel and would have the students read aloud. My wise mentor teacher taught me that when students are speaking, they are focusing on their pronunciation, not their comprehension. When they read something for the first time, the focus should be on their comprehension, not their pronunciation.
So, how do we use stories in class? How do we move beyond popcorn reading? I have a few ideas for you. You will notice that quite a few of my activities involve the teacher reading. That is because I think it is imperative for teachers to read to their students. Why? Because the teacher knows. YOU know the story. YOU know the highs and lows. YOU know how to pronounce the words.YOU know the parts you want to emphasize. YOU know the sections they will need help with. READ TO YOUR STUDENTS!
“The soul is contained in the human voice.”
Jorge Luis Borges
Here are some of my favorite activities:
This is a good activity when I don’t feel like being energetic. I can sit down with my paper under the projector. I very rarely teach from my desk, so this activity feels like a guilty pleasure. If you want to try it out, here is a blank template for you!
Cornell notes are a big deal in my school. Every department has to include them in some way. So, I use them with reading! I have a blank document that I can use with any story. I go over what I expect them to write in each section and we come up with annotation marks they are expected to use to connect their notes to the text. You can use my blank template too:
These are certainly not the only strategies out there. I also suggest Running Dictation (Comprehensible Classroom has an excellent explanation.) This activity is a hit with every level!
While not necessarily classroom reading activities, the following activities are fun for post-reading comprehension checks.
If you have any questions or activities to add to this list, drop me a comment below!
