Unlocking the Magic of Independent Reading

By Dr. Jarred Amato

If we agree that:

1. Reading, like exercise, helps us live healthier, happier lives.
2. As educators, we want all students to live healthy, happy lives.
3. Every student enters our school at a different point in their literacy journey (confidence, experience, interests, ability, etc.).
4. Too many students, before and after the pandemic, do not read willingly, consistently, joyfully, or proficiently.
5. Today’s students (and adults) are increasingly distracted, constantly scrolling and skimming and struggling to focus for sustained stretches. Then, this is also true:
6. Every school must make literacy a priority.

The question, of course, becomes how? How do we do it? I believe we start by establishing consistent reading routines and helping students develop a positive reading identity. This work, however, shouldn’t fall squarely on our ELA departments. Instead, it should be a collaborative effort, where the entire school community – students, faculty, and families – commits to read widely and read often.

In my book, Just Read It: Unlocking the Magic of Independent Reading in Middle and High School Classrooms, I introduce the Read and WRAP framework, which has been the backbone of my literacy classroom for the past decade. It also can enhance the reading and writing that students can and should be doing in science and history classrooms and across all content areas.

READ: First, we need to dedicate real time for students to read independently (preferably not from a screen) in a calm, comfortable environment. Whether it’s a shared text – perhaps an excerpt from an biography or a scientific article – or a book of their choosing, students deserve ongoing opportunities to engage in deep reading.?

WRAP:? Students also deserve opportunities to WRAP about their reading. Write, Reflect, Analyze, and Participate. This is where our classroom comes alive as we engage in authentic writing, reflection, conversation, and community-building. This is where we deepen our understanding of the text, world, and self. This is where students receive more “reps” and practice with key literacy skills. This is where we’re able to think more clearly, critically, and creatively.?

To be clear, Read and WRAP can and should look slightly different depending on the subject, grade level, and lesson/unit objectives. However, I believe that every school should carve out daily (or, at the very least, weekly) time for this routine. If not in our classrooms, then when?