““If you make a student feel If you make a student feel like a reader, he’ll become a like a reader, he’ll become a

reader.”reader.”Donald GravesDonald Graves

Academic Literacy Academic Literacy for for

Secondary StudentsSecondary Students

Motivating StudentsMotivating StudentsBy Debi RiceBy Debi Rice

Reading ReasonsReading Reasons

Motivating Secondary Motivating Secondary StudentsStudents

Building ReadersBuilding Readers

Building Block 1:Building Block 1:

Students need Students need access to high-access to high-

interest interest reading reading

materials.materials.

Building Block 2:Building Block 2:

Students must have a time to read Students must have a time to read and a place to read.and a place to read.

Building Block 3:Building Block 3:

Teachers must model the value of Teachers must model the value of reading.reading.

Building Block 4:Building Block 4:

Teachers must stop grading Teachers must stop grading everything.everything.

Building Block 5:Building Block 5:

Teachers must Teachers must provide provide

structure to a structure to a reading reading

program.program.

Building Block 6:Building Block 6:

Students must Students must want to read---want to read---they must see they must see what’s in it for what’s in it for

them.them.

““Why Should I Read?”Why Should I Read?”

10 Reading Reasons10 Reading Reasons

Reason 1: Reading is Reason 1: Reading is RewardingRewarding

Favorite first lines/Favorite text linesFavorite first lines/Favorite text lines

Reading minuteReading minute

Reading Thought of the WeekReading Thought of the Week

Reason 2: Reading Builds a Reason 2: Reading Builds a Mature VocabularyMature Vocabulary

What do you do when you encounter What do you do when you encounter an unfamiliar word?an unfamiliar word?

Prefixes, Suffixes, RootsPrefixes, Suffixes, Roots

Predict the meaningPredict the meaning

Reason 4: Reading is Hard, and Reason 4: Reading is Hard, and “Hard” is necessary“Hard” is necessary

Want to get your Driver’s License?Want to get your Driver’s License? An Educated ElectorateAn Educated Electorate A Proposed LawA Proposed Law The Fine PrintThe Fine Print Reading the World NewsReading the World News Selective Service and other Selective Service and other

applicationsapplications

Reason 3: Reading Makes you Reason 3: Reading Makes you a Better Writera Better Writer

Reading and Writing are similar Reading and Writing are similar processes; both actively engage in processes; both actively engage in constructing meaning from and with constructing meaning from and with text.text.

Both use a common tool kit of cognitive Both use a common tool kit of cognitive strategies – planning, prior knowledge, strategies – planning, prior knowledge, asking questions, making connections, asking questions, making connections, summarizing, revising, reflecting, and summarizing, revising, reflecting, and evaluatiingevaluatiing

Reason 5: Reading Makes you Reason 5: Reading Makes you SmarterSmarter

Brain ExerciseBrain Exercise Read all about itRead all about it Things I learned today (10 things I Things I learned today (10 things I

learned in history today)learned in history today)

Reason 6: Reading Prepares Reason 6: Reading Prepares You for the World of WorkYou for the World of Work

There is an “increasingly There is an “increasingly dramatic disparity between dramatic disparity between skills children are acquiring skills children are acquiring in school and the skills in school and the skills they will need to obtain a they will need to obtain a good job.good job.

In 1950s 20% jobs were In 1950s 20% jobs were professional, 20% were professional, 20% were skilled, and 60% unskilled. skilled, and 60% unskilled. In 1990s, 20% In 1990s, 20% professional, 60% skilled, professional, 60% skilled, only 20% unskilled.only 20% unskilled.

The skills required to earn a The skills required to earn a decent income have decent income have changed radically, but little changed radically, but little has changed in education.has changed in education.

The gap between the The gap between the average annual earnings of average annual earnings of a high school and college a high school and college graduate has widened graduate has widened significantly in the past 15 significantly in the past 15 years.years.

““No longer will today’s No longer will today’s high school diploma lead high school diploma lead to a job that will to a job that will guarantee entry into the guarantee entry into the middle class.”middle class.”

ActivitiesActivities

Get a JobGet a Job

Reading is Job OneReading is Job One

Reason 7: Reading Well is Reason 7: Reading Well is Financially RewardingFinancially Rewarding

Students are being paid to attend Students are being paid to attend school.school. Average life earnings for non-graduate = $936,000.Average life earnings for non-graduate = $936,000. Average life earnings for graduate = $1, 216,000.Average life earnings for graduate = $1, 216,000. High school diploma is worth $280,000.High school diploma is worth $280,000. Four years of high school = about 700 days.Four years of high school = about 700 days. Students are “paid” $280,000 for 700 days.Students are “paid” $280,000 for 700 days. Therefore students earn $400 per day.Therefore students earn $400 per day. Therefore students earn $66.67 to attend your class Therefore students earn $66.67 to attend your class

each day (based on a six-period day). Students who each day (based on a six-period day). Students who finish college earn a lot more than that per day.finish college earn a lot more than that per day.

Reason 8: Reading Opens the Reason 8: Reading Opens the Door to College and BeyondDoor to College and Beyond

Getting in College Reading ShapeGetting in College Reading Shape

The Key to CollegeThe Key to College

The Road to Higher LearningThe Road to Higher Learning

Reason 9: Reading Arms You Reason 9: Reading Arms You Against OppressionAgainst Oppression

Think about a time when your Think about a time when your inability to read something costs you.inability to read something costs you.

James Baldwin said, “It is expensive James Baldwin said, “It is expensive to be poor.”to be poor.”

All of us have been taken advantage All of us have been taken advantage of at some time or another because of at some time or another because of our failure to read something of our failure to read something accurately.accurately.

Reason 10: Reading Gives You Reason 10: Reading Gives You a Moral Standarda Moral Standard

Literature is a “great thing.”Literature is a “great thing.” Exploring the ethical dilemmas characters face Exploring the ethical dilemmas characters face

and the choices they make requires students to and the choices they make requires students to wrestle with their moralitywrestle with their morality

Literature raises questions of the human Literature raises questions of the human conditioncondition

Think about this…Think about this…When our students read great pieces like When our students read great pieces like Romeo Romeo

& Juliet& Juliet, Carl Sagan’s , Carl Sagan’s CosmosCosmos, or the , or the Declaration of Independence, or Martin Luther Declaration of Independence, or Martin Luther King, Jr.’s King, Jr.’s Letter from a Birmingham JailLetter from a Birmingham Jail, or any , or any other great works, they are finding their way for other great works, they are finding their way for themselves by joining the human conversation.themselves by joining the human conversation.

Reading Reasons Across the Reading Reasons Across the Content AreasContent Areas

Motivating readers is not a content Motivating readers is not a content specific job and should not be left to specific job and should not be left to one teacher or one subject area.one teacher or one subject area.

Think of it as a well-organized Think of it as a well-organized campaign that extends across campaign that extends across content areas, across the school day, content areas, across the school day, across the school year.across the school year.

Develop Your Own Reading Develop Your Own Reading LensLens

Reasons to Read Reasons to Read are Everywhereare Everywhere

What reasons can What reasons can you and your you and your students come up students come up with?with?