For some reason reading novels aloud to upper elementary students has fallen out of favor with some educators. Maybe it is simply being pressed for time with all our other obligations.
The most recently adopted literacy curriculum in our district recommends that teachers read aloud only be ten minutes and choose books that will illustrate the strategy lesson for the day. Instead, I have chosen to double or even triple that some days. I read novels that I think will inspire my students to read more.
I do this for four reasons:
1. I want my students to love reading as much as I do. How better to communicate this than to share with them some of my favorite books?
2. I want to introduce my students to some great authors. I feature those author’s websites on our classroom webpage, so my students can learn more about them and their books.
3. I get to teach all sorts of spontaneous lessons about the craft of writing. I don’t think my students should have to wait until middle school and high school to study novels.
4. I want to stretch my students’ attention spans.
Over the next few weeks, I plan to share some of my favorite novels to read aloud to students. I invite you to do the same.
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