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James Young

Keywords

reading programs, reading strategies, reading techniques, active reading, literature

Submission Type

Research

Preview

Most elementary and secondary teachers have independent reading programs that allow students to choose novels based on their interest and reading levels. After reading the novel on their own at home, students are either given short comprehension tests or asked to write reports to give them credit for the work they have completed. Sometimes, however, teachers want all of the students in a class to experience the same novel together. He or she might want to teach the class a reading technique associated with a novel, like how to locate the conflict in a story or how to examine the role that setting and character play in the unfolding of a plot. Or perhaps the teacher might want to integrate language study, vocabulary development, and writing skills into the study of a novel by using the novel as a springboard for a host of language arts activities. Or perhaps the teacher simply wants to share an outstanding young adult novel that’s “too good to miss” with the entire class. In any event, there are times when an entire class will be asked to read a single novel together, and this experience has both its rewards and challenges.

The intent of this article is to list a variety of best practices that I have observed over the years as a university supervisor of student teachers of English. My hope is that these reading and studying strategies will help teachers to keep their students actively engaged in the reading of a single novel and will lead toward a deeper enjoyment and appreciation of the reading of literature.

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