If you make a student feel like a reader, hell become a reader. Donald Graves

Academic Literacy for Secondary Students Motivating Students By Debi Rice

Reading Reasons Motivating Secondary Students

Building Readers

Building Block 1: Students need access to high- interest reading materials. Students need access to high- interest reading materials.

Building Block 2: Students must have a time to read and a place to read. Students must have a time to read and a place to read.

Building Block 3: Teachers must model the value of reading. Teachers must model the value of reading.

Building Block 4: Teachers must stop grading everything. Teachers must stop grading everything.

Building Block 5: Teachers must provide structure to a reading program. Teachers must provide structure to a reading program.

Building Block 6: Students must want to read--- they must see whats in it for them. Students must want to read--- they must see whats in it for them.

Why Should I Read? 10 Reading Reasons

Reason 1: Reading is Rewarding Favorite first lines/Favorite text lines Favorite first lines/Favorite text lines Reading minute Reading minute Reading Thought of the Week Reading Thought of the Week

Reason 2: Reading Builds a Mature Vocabulary What do you do when you encounter an unfamiliar word? What do you do when you encounter an unfamiliar word? Prefixes, Suffixes, Roots Prefixes, Suffixes, Roots Predict the meaning Predict the meaning

Reason 4: Reading is Hard, and Hard is necessary Want to get your Drivers License? Want to get your Drivers License? An Educated Electorate An Educated Electorate A Proposed Law A Proposed Law The Fine Print The Fine Print Reading the World News Reading the World News Selective Service and other applications Selective Service and other applications

Reason 3: Reading Makes you a Better Writer Reading and Writing are similar processes; both actively engage in constructing meaning from and with text. Reading and Writing are similar processes; both actively engage in constructing meaning from and with text. Both use a common tool kit of cognitive strategies – planning, prior knowledge, asking questions, making connections, summarizing, revising, reflecting, and evaluatiing Both use a common tool kit of cognitive strategies – planning, prior knowledge, asking questions, making connections, summarizing, revising, reflecting, and evaluatiing

Reason 5: Reading Makes you Smarter Brain Exercise Brain Exercise Read all about it Read all about it Things I learned today (10 things I learned in history today) Things I learned today (10 things I learned in history today)

Reason 6: Reading Prepares You for the World of Work There is an increasingly dramatic disparity between skills children are acquiring in school and the skills they will need to obtain a good job. There is an increasingly dramatic disparity between skills children are acquiring in school and the skills they will need to obtain a good job. In 1950s 20% jobs were professional, 20% were skilled, and 60% unskilled. In 1990s, 20% professional, 60% skilled, only 20% unskilled. In 1950s 20% jobs were professional, 20% were skilled, and 60% unskilled. In 1990s, 20% professional, 60% skilled, only 20% unskilled. The skills required to earn a decent income have changed radically, but little has changed in education. The skills required to earn a decent income have changed radically, but little has changed in education. The gap between the average annual earnings of a high school and college graduate has widened significantly in the past 15 years. The gap between the average annual earnings of a high school and college graduate has widened significantly in the past 15 years. No longer will todays high school diploma lead to a job that will guarantee entry into the middle class. No longer will todays high school diploma lead to a job that will guarantee entry into the middle class.

Activities Get a Job Get a Job Reading is Job One Reading is Job One

Reason 7: Reading Well is Financially Rewarding Students are being paid to attend school. Students are being paid to attend school. Average life earnings for non-graduate = $936,000. Average life earnings for non-graduate = $936,000. Average life earnings for graduate = $1, 216,000. Average life earnings for graduate = $1, 216,000. High school diploma is worth $280,000. High school diploma is worth $280,000. Four years of high school = about 700 days. Four years of high school = about 700 days. Students are paid $280,000 for 700 days. Students are paid $280,000 for 700 days. Therefore students earn $400 per day. Therefore students earn $400 per day. Therefore students earn $66.67 to attend your class each day (based on a six-period day). Students who finish college earn a lot more than that per day. Therefore students earn $66.67 to attend your class each day (based on a six-period day). Students who finish college earn a lot more than that per day.

Reason 8: Reading Opens the Door to College and Beyond Getting in College Reading Shape Getting in College Reading Shape The Key to College The Key to College The Road to Higher Learning The Road to Higher Learning

Reason 9: Reading Arms You Against Oppression Think about a time when your inability to read something costs you. Think about a time when your inability to read something costs you. James Baldwin said, It is expensive to be poor. James Baldwin said, It is expensive to be poor. All of us have been taken advantage of at some time or another because of our failure to read something accurately. All of us have been taken advantage of at some time or another because of our failure to read something accurately.

Reason 10: Reading Gives You a Moral Standard Literature is a great thing. Literature is a great thing. Exploring the ethical dilemmas characters face and the choices they make requires students to wrestle with their morality Exploring the ethical dilemmas characters face and the choices they make requires students to wrestle with their morality Literature raises questions of the human condition Literature raises questions of the human condition Think about this… Think about this… When our students read great pieces like Romeo & Juliet, Carl Sagans Cosmos, or the Declaration of Independence, or Martin Luther King, Jr.s Letter from a Birmingham Jail, or any other great works, they are finding their way for themselves by joining the human conversation.

Reading Reasons Across the Content Areas Motivating readers is not a content specific job and should not be left to one teacher or one subject area. Motivating readers is not a content specific job and should not be left to one teacher or one subject area. Think of it as a well-organized campaign that extends across content areas, across the school day, across the school year. Think of it as a well-organized campaign that extends across content areas, across the school day, across the school year.

Develop Your Own Reading Lens Reasons to Read are Everywhere Reasons to Read are Everywhere What reasons can you and your students come up with? What reasons can you and your students come up with?