Making the Most out of Reading and Writing Workshop

Are your having trouble getting students engaged in independent reading and writing?  I know I have. So what is a teacher to do?

Here are eight tips that have worked in my classroom to get disengaged readers engaged:

1.  Introduce Audio books  
2.  Introduce Children's magazines
3.  Do  book trailers
4.  Create  a book recommendation basket or wall.
5.  Introduce comic strips
6.  Have visitors come in and share their favorite books
7   A Teacher's choice  basket-
8.  Introduce Series
9.  Build up your Graphic novel collection

My kids love these magazines,  I try to find magazines about animals,  and sports for the boys who are usually my most reluctant readers.  

Are you looking for new books to share with the class?  Check these out?

1. Ellray Jakes  By Sally Warner
2. Stink Series  By  Megan McDonald
3. I Survived Series  By  Lauren Taurshis
4. On the Run Series  By  Gordon Kormon (He has several more Series)
5. The Missing  Series  By Margaret Haddix
6. Hank Zipper  By Henry Winkler
7. Mallory Series  By   Laure B Friedman
8. The Camp Confidential Series   By Melissa J Morgan
9. The Sword Girl Series  By Francis Watts
10. The Naughtiest Girl Series By Enid Blyton

Check out my Pnterest boards,  lots of ideas to scroll through for resources to use in the classroom:

https://www.pinterest.com/Educ8te/


What do I do for my reluctant writers?

1.   I create writing bingo boards
2.   I create monthly or holiday writing journals
3.   I Allow kids to record their stories using a tape recorder or online program
4.   I have the students create journals they can take home and write in daily
5.  We write stories together.
6.  We do lots of oral story telling.

The one thing you have to remember is to provide time for kids to be able to read and write in class daily. I allow them to enter in the morning and free write or read  until morning announcements start.  Students know that anytime they are done with independent work they may do either of the two during the day.  Now that I am self contained.  I make an effort to provide this time.  I have control over this, not home.  We know that the only way kids get better at anything is by practicing it daily.  So I have made a habit of also sharing my own reading and writing life with the kids.  I show them  the books that I read beyond my content area Teachers guides and resources.  I even brought some of my personal journals up flipped through them over the document camera.  I even read entries from them  I encouraged kids to keep journals at home that they can reflect in daily.  I talk them about how it is important to get the details and feelings down.  I have seem a lot of improvement in their content area writings.  The students make journals using construction paper or some times I buy the small little journals and pass out to students.   

 I give suggestions for types of entries such as:

1. Reflect on your learning for the day

2. Reflect on your behaviors for the day

3. Reflect on your dreams, desires

4. Vent about problems or struggles you are having.

5,  Make list 
6.  Record quotes, sayings, 
7.  Draw pictures

The goal is just to get them generating ideas and to create a habit of writing and reading in the students.