Reading Bundles

As we deisolate our next generation standards to determine our sequencing we will be putting together reading bundles to use per unit for each nine weeks. These reading bundles will be available on this page of the website and more are added as the year unfolds. Currently there is a collection of lexiled PDF files here to assist you in incorporating readings in your classroom. These PDFs are in strands below to make it easier to fit into your instruction. Also, we have some non-lexiled PDFS available here too.

TO learn more about Lexiles click the link below to visit the exile.com site.

http://lexile.com

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Student Choice

Allowing students to choose at least some of what they read in class can improve their motivation. Interest inventories can help teachers learn about what interests their students and recommend books accordingly. Remember that success breeds success: Be sure to find a book that the reader can read with at least 95 percent accuracy. (A simple rule of thumb is that if there are more than 7 unknown words among the first 100, the book will probably be too difficult.)

For readers who are several years below grade level, there are many “high interest, low vocabulary” books, and even books on tape for students, available from educational publishers. Many publishers bundle high-interest sets of books together on topics that appeal to both male and female students (e.g. motorcycles, romance). Magazines, the Internet, and picture books can also be great resources for struggling readers. Text that is short and relevant to teens’ lives is captivating. The more students simply read, the better readers they will become.

There are many online lists of outstanding books for preteens and teens on every topic imaginable, along with reviews and information on authors who are popular with students. The following sources are particularly helpful:

Carol Hurst Children’s Literature Site (http://www.carolhurst.com)
The Children’s Literature Web Guide (http://www.ucalgary.ca/~dkbrown/index.html)
The BookSpot.com “Teen Reading Lists” Directory (http://www.bookspot.com/features/teenreadinglists.htm)
The Young Adult Library Services Association’s “Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers” Web Site (www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists/quickpicks)

All of these Web sites have contributions written for and by kids that can be especially helpful to teachers working with unmotivated students. Teachers should be sure to read the books themselves before purchasing them for class use, however—times have changed regarding what’s considered acceptable in teen material. Some books may be appropriate for teens to read outside of school, but not for in-school study and discussion with a whole class. If teachers choose books with controversial content, they should apprise parents of the content prior to using the books with students.

Student Choice

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