Top 4 Activities to Reach Reluctant Readers

Top 4 Activities to Reach Reluctant Readers We have all had those students who have a love for reading, and the ones who dont. There may be many factors that correlate with why some students are reluctant to read. The book may be too hard for them, parents at home may not actively encourage reading, or the student is just not interested in what they are reading. As teachers, it is our job to help nurture and develop a love of reading in our students. By employing strategies and creating a few fun hands-on activities, we can motivate students to want to read, and not just because we make them read. The following four hands-on reading activities will encourage even the most reluctant readers to be excited about reading: Storia for iPad Technology today is unbelievable! There are so many ways to make books exciting that Scholastic book clubs decided to join in on the fun of ebooks! This app is exciting because not only is it free to download, but the amenities seem endless! There are literally thousands of books to download, from picture books to chapter books. Storia offers interactive read aloud books, a built-in highlighter and dictionary, along with learning activities to accompany the book. If you give a student the opportunity to choose a hands-on book of their choice, you will see it is a powerful way to encourage even the most reluctant reader. Record Students Reading Books Allowing children to choose what they want to read based upon their own interests will encourage them to want to read. A fun activity to try is to let the student select a book of their choice and record them reading the book aloud. Then play back the recording and have the student follow along to their voice. Research has shown that when students listen to themselves read, their reading becomes better. This is the perfect activity to add to your learning centers. Place a tape recorder and several different books in the reading center and allow students to take turns taping themselves read. Teacher Read Aloud Listening to stories from a teacher may be one of a students favorite parts of the school day. To instill this kind of passion for reading with your students, give them the opportunity to choose which book you read to the class. Choose two or three books that you feel are appropriate for your students and let them vote on the best one. Try to sway the vote towards the students who you know are the reluctant ones to read. Have a Scavenger Hunt Games are a fun way to engage students in learning while still having fun. Try creating a classroom scavenger hunt where each team has to read the clues to find out where the items they are searching for are. The students that do not like to read will not even realize they are practicing their reading skills.