Okay, the semester is almost over. In my seven-student class (two girls and five boys, all sophomores and juniors) here’s what they chose to read for independent reading time.
My class is an ELL (English Language Learners) class comprised of students with roots in Micronesia, the Philippines, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and a few villages in rural Alaska. Some have been in this country their entire lives and some have just arrived a few months ago.
Anyone who reads books in a second language is a reading superhero.
We had 15 to 20 minutes of in-class reading time two or three times a week, and students had the option of taking their books home to read as well. The girls often took their books home; the boys did not.
This is pretty much the OPPOSITE of what I do in my classroom where kids can sit or lay on the floor during reading time if they please.
I did not require them to do any writing assignments in relation to their independent reading, or read a certain number of pages. I allowed them to stop reading a book if they wanted to just like us adults do. It was a no-strings-attached approach. For more details about my ideas regarding fostering reading in the classroom see this post.
I had a wide selection of young adult fiction and other books for my students to choose from. They were also allowed to bring books from home or the library.
In no particular order, these are books my students enjoyed and finished, or are about to finish.
Jumping Off Swings by Jo Knowles
Deadline by Chris Crutcher
Last Chance Texaco by Brent Hartinger
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Cut by Patricia McCormick
Trapped by Michael Northrop
Pinned by Alfred Martino
Wrestling Sturbridge by Rich Wallace
Across the Universe by Beth Revis
The First Part Last by Angela Johnson
Raiders Night by Robert Lipstyte
Right Behind You by Gail Giles
Sweethearts by Sara Zarr
Popular by Alissa Grosso
Cheating Death: Amazing Survival stories from Alaska by Larry Kaniut
Someone to Love Me by Anne E. Schraff and Paul Langan
As you can see from the list above, my students tended to gravitate toward contemporary, realistic stories.
I’m not familiar with any of those except Across The Universe, which I’ve heard about through my blog. I’m surprised there aren’t more classics on their reading horizon. Cheating Death sounds interesting. It must be a real challenge to have such a diverse class of students. Good for you! Making reading an important part of the day.
Thanks for stopping by, Yvonne. I’m sure they will be reading some classics in their regular English classes. My class was an elective specifically for English Language Learners.
I know of most of those books, and they are wonderful. It is interesting that they are mostly contemporary and realistic.
I think this is a really great post, Paul. Not only do you let people know what books teens are liking, but you also give a detailed explanation of how you teach reading. I like it. A lot.
That’s such a fantastic list. Speak has been on my shelf for a while now, I think that’s the one I’ll read next. I’ve only ever heard great things about it.
Sarah Allen
(my creative writing blog)
I like your policy as far as not having them write about what they read independently. I prefer to see kids develop an interest in reading as opposed to quickly digesting info for a paper or test. Not that it doesn’t have its place sometimes in a curriculum, but I know adults who might enjoy reading more if their teachers had used your approach.
Fantastic list. When I taught high school I noticed my students gravitated to contemporary. Now that I’m back in middle school, I still have my feelers out, so I’m not sure what the case is yet.
Contemporary realistic YA is my personal favorite as well. I see several titles here I recognized from my TBR list.
Great post, great teaching, great to hear what they’re reading!