I currently teach Special Education for grades 6th through 8th. Many of my students can decode up to the 12th grade range but they do not comprehend any higher than 4th grade. So, I choose material that is appropriate by comprehension level but can be interesting to students in middle school.
My students began to moan and groan at the beginning of the school year. They informed me that reading was boring and very uninteresting. I asked them what did they like to read. Many of the students said that they didn't read at all. Most of my students are fluent readers. They can sustain reading at least 5-10 minutes alone without redirection.
When I plan lessons for my students, I include books that I believe they would want to read. I provide opportunities for them to read plays, poems, short stories, and novels. In the beginning of the school year we were learning about character types and our focus was heroes and villains. The students loved the comic that I gave them to read about Spider-man
I believe that since I began teaching that my attention span has altered. I need motivation many times to get through reading. So, I love books with an engaging hook from the start. I give my students books with a great engage and hook. The students are currently reading the book Double Dutch by Sharon Draper. The students love the book because the book has two main characters. There is a boy and a girl. So, the book is designed to engage girls and boys. If I honestly include reading material in my plans that are related to the situations that are related to my students, the reading environment in the classroom is much more productive.
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