Ten Ways Eighth Grade Students
Can Promote Reading
by Eden Kuhlenschmidt
River Valley Middle School

1. Each week have a different student select a book to go in a spiral "Student Picks" spot in a classroom or library media center.

2. Have students design bookmarks to promote a particular book, genre, or nonfiction area.

3. Have eighth grade students fill in "Reading Recommendation" slips and post those slips in a sixth or seventh grade classroom.

4. Have student journalists write reviews of new library media center books and publish them in the school newspaper.

5. Have students write and record booktalks on audiocassettes and check those audiocassettes out to other students. (This is especially good with Young Hoosier titles.)

6. Give students time to talk with each other in an informal one-on-one or a small-group basis about books they have read for assignments or time to visit a sixth or seventh grade classroom to share aspects about the books they are reading.

7. Have students select books for teachers to read aloud.

8. Have students select books for the library media center or a class collection.

9. Have eighth grade students read aloud to sixth grade or younger students.

10. Have students design poster advertisements about books and display them in hallways.