Independent Reading Time
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Grades K–8 Independent Independent Reading Time Providing a quiet, relaxed independent reading time several times Reading Time a week for children to read books at their “just-right” reading level is critical to developing successful readers. Handbook The Independent Reading Time Handbook that accompanies Developmental Studies Center’s AfterSchool KidzLibrary offers strategies and tools for implementing an effective independent reading program at your after-school site. This handbook outlines ways to set up your after-school library and how to introduce and run a successful Independent Reading Time (IRT) program. It also specifies the leader’s role, including ways after-school staff can help children select just-right books. ISBN 978-1-57621-905-8 y(7IB5H6*MLTKPS( +;!z!”!z!” Illustration by GarryWilliams Illustration by ASL-IRTHBK Project Name: AS IRT Handbook Cover Round: Final pages Date: 05/11/10 File Name: ASL_IRTHBK_cover Page #: 1 Trim size: 8.375” x 10.875” Colors used: CMYK Printed at: 80% Artist: Garry Williams Editor: Erica Hruby Comments: Independent Reading Time Handbook Project Name: AS IRT Handbook Round: Final pages Date: 05/18/10 File Name: ASL-IRTHBK_interior Page #: i Trim size: 8.375” x 10.875” Colors used: PMS 2685 Printed at: 80% Artist: Joslyn Hidalgo Editor: Erica Hruby Comments: Copyright © 2010 by Developmental Studies Center All rights reserved. Except where otherwise noted, no part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher. For information regarding permissions, write to the Editorial Department at Developmental Studies Center. Permission is granted to reproduce the blackline master in this volume for classroom use only. First edition published 2010. AfterSchool KidzLibrary™ is a trademark of Developmental Studies Center. Cover illustration by Garry Williams. Interior illustrations by Kimo Yancey. Developmental Studies Center 2000 Embarcadero, Suite 305 Oakland, CA 94606-5300 (800) 666-7270, fax: (510) 464-3670 www.devstu.org ISBN-13: 978-1-57621-905-8 ISBN-10: 1-57621-905-4 Printed in the United States of America 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 HESS 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 Project Name: AS IRT Handbook Project Name: AS IRT Handbook Round: Final pages Date: 05/18/10 Round: Final pages Date: 05/18/10 File Name: ASL-IRTHBK_interior Page #: ii File Name: ASL-IRTHBK_interior Page #: iii Trim size: 8.375” x 10.875” Colors used: PMS 2685 Printed at: 80% Trim size: 8.375” x 10.875” Colors used: PMS 2685 Printed at: 80% Artist: Joslyn Hidalgo Editor: Erica Hruby Artist: Joslyn Hidalgo Editor: Erica Hruby Comments: Comments: Contents Introduction 1 Using the Library 2 Organizing Your Library 3 Sharing Your Library or Space 4 Choosing Books for a Mixed-age Group 5 Choosing Books for Younger Readers 5 Establishing an IRT Program at Your Site 6 The Leader’s Role During IRT 8 Establishing Routines for IRT 8 Introducing IRT 9 Helping the Children Choose “Just-right” Books 10 Questions to Ask the Children While They Read 11 Helping English Language Learners 12 Appendix A: What’s Important About Fiction and Nonfiction Books 13 What’s Important in Fiction 13 What’s Important in Nonfiction 14 Appendix B: How the AfterSchool KidzLibrary Was Created 15 Book Leveling Process 15 Book Selection Process 16 Bibliography 17 Blackline Master: Five-finger Rule 18 Project Name: AS IRT Handbook Project Name: AS IRT Handbook Round: Final pages Date: 05/18/10 Round: Final pages Date: 05/18/10 File Name: ASL-IRTHBK_interior Page #: ii File Name: ASL-IRTHBK_interior Page #: iii Trim size: 8.375” x 10.875” Colors used: PMS 2685 Printed at: 80% Trim size: 8.375” x 10.875” Colors used: PMS 2685 Printed at: 80% Artist: Joslyn Hidalgo Editor: Erica Hruby Artist: Joslyn Hidalgo Editor: Erica Hruby Comments: Comments: Project Name: AS IRT Handbook Project Name: AS IRT Handbook Round: Final pages Date: 05/18/10 Round: Final pages Date: 05/18/10 File Name: ASL-IRTHBK_interior Page #: iv File Name: ASL-IRTHBK_interior Page #: 1 Trim size: 8.375” x 10.875” Colors used: PMS 2685 Printed at: 80% Trim size: 8.375” x 10.875” Colors used: PMS 2685 Printed at: 80% Artist: Joslyn Hidalgo Editor: Erica Hruby Artist: Joslyn Hidalgo Editor: Erica Hruby Comments: Comments: Introduction We are so pleased that you purchased the AfterSchool KidzLibrary. We spent a lot of time at Developmental Studies Center (DSC) finding really engaging books covering a wide variety of topics that will capture your kids’ imaginations. The children will love reading these books— and so will you! We developed the library and this handbook to help you set up an Independent Reading Time (IRT) program at your after-school site. The more time children spend reading independently, the more they improve as readers. Experts tell us that children should be reading independently in books at their appropriate or “just-right” reading level every day for at least 30 minutes. Of course, it would be great if they read even more than that! That’s why having an independent reading program at your after-school site is so important. We encourage you to have your children read by themselves in books at their just-right level at least three times a week—more frequently would be better. You might want to join them in reading, too. You may find it relaxing and engaging—and it is great for your kids to see you reading. This handbook will give you tips on how to set up your library and establish an IRT program at your site. It also includes information about how the books were selected and leveled, a bibliography if you want to learn more about how children become better readers, and a blackline master of a handy bookmark for the kids. Let’s get started! Introduction 1 Project Name: AS IRT Handbook Project Name: AS IRT Handbook Round: Final pages Date: 05/18/10 Round: Final pages Date: 05/18/10 File Name: ASL-IRTHBK_interior Page #: iv File Name: ASL-IRTHBK_interior Page #: 1 Trim size: 8.375” x 10.875” Colors used: PMS 2685 Printed at: 80% Trim size: 8.375” x 10.875” Colors used: PMS 2685 Printed at: 80% Artist: Joslyn Hidalgo Editor: Erica Hruby Artist: Joslyn Hidalgo Editor: Erica Hruby Comments: Comments: Using the Library We recommend that your library includes at least 200 books for every 20 kids in your program to give them a variety of books from which to choose. DSC’s AfterSchool KidzLibrary includes up to 1,080 books. At each grade level K–8, the books are organized into sets of 10 to give you options for purchasing what you need. At each grade, the books are organized into sets of fiction and nonfiction at three levels. At grades K–6, “easy” books are below grade level by 1–1½ grades, “on-level” books are at grade level, and “challenging” books are 1–1½ grades above grade level. At grades 7–8, “very easy” books are below grade level by 3 grades, “easy” books are below grade level by 1–1½ grades, and “on-level and above” books are on grade level to 1½ grades above. The levels will assist you as you help your kids find books at their just-right levels. (See Appendix B, “How the AfterSchool KidzLibrary Was Created,” on page 15 for more information about how we leveled the books. Also see the book package insert or visit www.devstu.org for lists of books by level.) The AfterSchool KidzLibrary contains a balance of books that will interest both girls and boys. The books in the library include mysteries, science fiction stories, how-to books, and novels as well as books about sports, how the world works, animals, and travel. Some of the books will even make your kids laugh out loud! 2 AfterSchool KidzLibrary™ Independent Reading Time Handbook Project Name: AS IRT Handbook Project Name: AS IRT Handbook Round: Final pages Date: 05/18/10 Round: Final pages Date: 05/18/10 File Name: ASL-IRTHBK_interior Page #: 2 File Name: ASL-IRTHBK_interior Page #: 3 Trim size: 8.375” x 10.875” Colors used: PMS 2685 Printed at: 80% Trim size: 8.375” x 10.875” Colors used: PMS 2685 Printed at: 80% Artist: Joslyn Hidalgo Editor: Erica Hruby Artist: Joslyn Hidalgo Editor: Erica Hruby Comments: Comments: Organizing Your Library Organize your library to invite browsing and to draw the children’s attention to the various kinds of books included in the library—just imagine being lured in by a great display in a store window. It is more enticing to children when they can see the covers of the books. (Whoever said, “You can’t judge a book by its cover”?) Whenever possible, display at least some of the books with the covers showing by using certain kinds of bookshelves, by putting the books in tubs with all of the covers facing forward, or by placing them face up on a table for the kids to see. If you’re unable to present the books in any of the suggested ways, you can still display your books all together on a bookshelf the way you might at home. Another way to grab the kids’ attention is to group books in ways that interest them. This also makes it easier to find those kinds of books once the children know how they are grouped. For these reasons, many leaders group books by category.