Planning Needed to Encourage Summer Reading
June,
July and August are months when many students do not read
extensively. As a result, when
students return in the fall, the consequences of whether or not students are
increasing their comprehension and vocabulary by reading are reflected in test scores and classroom activities.
In a middle school serving students in Grades 6, 7, and 8, one third of the students arrive each year from elementary schools. Obviously, in order to have an influence on the summer reading habits of
students, such schools must work with fifth grade students in elementary schools as well as with the sixth and seventh graders within the school. And even though eighth graders will be leaving the school, middle schools
have a responsibility for their summer reading, so plans for summer reading in middle schools with Grades 6-8 should involve four grade levels.
Most Indiana students in Grades 6, 7, and 8
are in schools organized 5-8, 6-8, 7-8, 7-9, and 7-12. Whatever the organization, schools should promote summer reading for all
students enrolled this spring as well as for those students who will enroll from feeder schools in the fall.
Middle grades schools should be in frequent
contact with feeder schools. Reading
teachers and librarians can work together to avoid duplication of programs and
to understand how each school provides reading instruction and the encouragement
of independent reading.
A special opportunity to promote summer
reading occurs during the spring meeting with incoming students and their
parents. This is an excellent time
to speak about the importance that the school places on reading. Handouts might include a list of Young Hoosier Book Award books for
2002-2003 and information from the local public library about summer programs.
Incoming students look in awe at the physical
size of the older students in the school. They are very receptive to messages from students who have
preceded them. A 6-8 school could
have an eighth grader speak briefly to the fifth graders about the importance of
reading in middle school and encourage them to read every day through-out the
summer.
While all students enrolled in middle grades
schools this spring are aware of the importance of reading in their school, they
will read even more if the school promotes summer reading through a planned
sequence of events. The
following are some ideas for schools to incorporate in their summer reading
plans:
Provide students with a list of Young Hoosier Book Award books for 2002-2003. See list at http://
Invite a local public librarian to the school to provide
materials and other information about the public library’s summer reading
program.
Hold a faculty meeting at a public library, and include on the agenda information about the library’ summer reading program.
Produce
a
summer reading program.
Establish a Web site for students to provide books reviews andratings of books they read during the summer. Start with the Young Hoosier Book Award list, and allow other books to be added by students.
Have librarian and teachers share ideas on how to promote summer reading during the last week of school.
Have a group of outgoing students develop and implement
ideas for promoting summer reading. This
might include giving presentations to students, producing a video, creating book
displays, book-talking, and writing an article for the local newspaper.
Ask art teachers to have students create summer reading
posters. These could be displayed in the school, in feeder schools, and in
public libraries.
Include information about summer reading in parent meetings and publications.
Work with a local college professor to evaluate the impact of the school’s summer reading plans. This could include a survey of present students concerning how much they read last summer and a survey in the fall of what occurred during the summer of 2002.