Sally wrote: Are there any specific strategies or activities that I can start doing from the first day of my student teaching experience that will motivate my students and get them excited to read?
1. Let your own love of reading be transparent. 2. Make sure that your students can see their success. For example, if the class choral reads a list of sight words every day, then start with the first 20 on week one. Make a big deal about allowing the next set of words because they practiced, learned, and now they are ready for more. Post the progress somewhere in the room. 3. Another example, from the book, *Daily 5*: Assign students to practice the reading lesson which you just taught and be very specific about what that reading behavior should not look like and should look like. Time them and stop the entire class when just one student gets off task. When I did this last year, the class could practice reading on their own for two and a half minutes the first time that they tried it. Calmly post this on the board and tell them that the goal is to get up to 15 or 20 minutes. Expect them to progress at the rate of about one additional minute per day, so repeat the procedure until the class practices the reading lesson for three and a half minutes on day 2, praise them, post the progress and stop there. Soon, students are begging you to be able to read so that they can add minutes to their posted time. By the time that they reach 15 or 20 minutes, they are so proud of themselves that they are motivated to maintain that level of being able to stay on task while reading. _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.