Independent Reading Overview
What Is Independent Reading?
Independent reading is a component of Readers’ Workshop during which students read text (either self-selected or teacher-recommended) at their independent reading level in order to practice reading strategies, make meaning, and develop fluency and automaticity. Students may also respond to the text in meaningful ways through writing, discussing, or sketching. Independent reading typically takes place after the focus lesson and before the group share. While students are reading, the teacher confers with them one-on-one or teaches small-group lessons.
Independent reading is a component of Readers’ Workshop during which students read text (either self-selected or teacher-recommended) at their independent reading level in order to practice reading strategies, make meaning, and develop fluency and automaticity. Students may also respond to the text in meaningful ways through writing, discussing, or sketching. Independent reading typically takes place after the focus lesson and before the group share. While students are reading, the teacher confers with them one-on-one or teaches small-group lessons.
What Is Essential about Independent Reading?
Frequency and Duration – Students Need Time to Read!
Students need lots of time to read books at their independent reading level. Independent reading should occur during every Readers’ Workshop (four to five times per week). The length of independent reading time varies depending on the grade level and time of year. For example, at the beginning of first grade, independent reading time may be as short as 10 minutes. As students develop stamina as readers, the time is gradually increased to as much as 30–40 minutes.
Community
A sense of community is built during independent reading. There is acceptance and celebration of who we are as readers. This is sometimes referred to as “The Literacy Club,” and every student should be a member!
Student Choice
Students have choice over what they read. The teacher helps students learn to select “just right” books and encourages them to explore a range of genres, authors, and topics.
Matching Books to Readers
The teacher is familiar with the books, knows the students, understands the reading process, and helps readers find appropriate texts.
Assessment to Drive Instruction
During independent reading, teachers gather information from reading conferences, students’ written responses, and formal assessments. These data are used to plan future whole-class, small-group, and individual lessons.
Active Teaching
While readers are reading, teachers are teaching. The teacher may confer with individual students or pull a few students together for a small-group lesson.
What Are the Goals of Independent Reading?
What Does Independent Reading Look Like?
Once students have been taught how to choose a “just right” book, they choose their own books from the classroom library. Students read a wide variety of materials including chapter books, picture books, nonfiction, and collections of poems.
What does the teacher do?
The teacher creates a classroom culture in which ALL students are RESPECTED as readers.
Once the students begin reading, the teacher is actively engaged by:
What do the students do?
Students read and reread a large number of books in a variety of genres. It is important that students expose themselves to different kinds of texts and not stay with a single book for an extended time.*
* Word of Caution: If a student is spending too much time with a single book, the text may be too difficult. By the end of first grade, a student should read silently approximately 55–80 words per minute. By the end of fourth grade, a student should read silently approximately 135–165 words per minute. Of course, it is also important that students comprehend what they read.
Frequency and Duration – Students Need Time to Read!
Students need lots of time to read books at their independent reading level. Independent reading should occur during every Readers’ Workshop (four to five times per week). The length of independent reading time varies depending on the grade level and time of year. For example, at the beginning of first grade, independent reading time may be as short as 10 minutes. As students develop stamina as readers, the time is gradually increased to as much as 30–40 minutes.
Community
A sense of community is built during independent reading. There is acceptance and celebration of who we are as readers. This is sometimes referred to as “The Literacy Club,” and every student should be a member!
Student Choice
Students have choice over what they read. The teacher helps students learn to select “just right” books and encourages them to explore a range of genres, authors, and topics.
Matching Books to Readers
The teacher is familiar with the books, knows the students, understands the reading process, and helps readers find appropriate texts.
Assessment to Drive Instruction
During independent reading, teachers gather information from reading conferences, students’ written responses, and formal assessments. These data are used to plan future whole-class, small-group, and individual lessons.
Active Teaching
While readers are reading, teachers are teaching. The teacher may confer with individual students or pull a few students together for a small-group lesson.
What Are the Goals of Independent Reading?
- Students learn to love reading and develop an appreciation of books.
- Students become more proficient readers who think deeply about what they read.
- Students read a wide variety of texts from a range of genres, topics, and authors.
- Students learn to think, discuss, and reflect before, during, and after reading.
- Students learn to apply reading strategies introduced in focus lessons.
What Does Independent Reading Look Like?
Once students have been taught how to choose a “just right” book, they choose their own books from the classroom library. Students read a wide variety of materials including chapter books, picture books, nonfiction, and collections of poems.
What does the teacher do?
The teacher creates a classroom culture in which ALL students are RESPECTED as readers.
Once the students begin reading, the teacher is actively engaged by:
- Conferring with individual students and taking conference notes,
- Providing small-group instruction to strategy groups, guided reading groups, or literature circles while the other students read independently, OR
- Administering diagnostic reading assessments (e.g., DRA, Fountas & Pinnell Benchmark Assessment, Concepts about Print Test, etc.)
What do the students do?
Students read and reread a large number of books in a variety of genres. It is important that students expose themselves to different kinds of texts and not stay with a single book for an extended time.*
- Students practice and apply the strategies they have been taught during recent focus lessons.
- Students work with a teacher one-on-one and in small groups to develop their skills as readers.
- Students talk with partners or in small groups to talk about their reading.
- Students write in response to what they are reading.
- Students are always reading! When they finish one book, they move on to another.
* Word of Caution: If a student is spending too much time with a single book, the text may be too difficult. By the end of first grade, a student should read silently approximately 55–80 words per minute. By the end of fourth grade, a student should read silently approximately 135–165 words per minute. Of course, it is also important that students comprehend what they read.
