Read Alone and Read Together
The moment the bell rings, students file into the classroom and choose books to read. Starting off the day with sustained silent reading gives the children significant time to be immersed in a literacy-rich environment and to choose stories that interest them. Students have learned strategies on how to select texts that are not too easy, but not too hard either. My CT has a large classroom library full of texts for readers of all levels and interests. My CT also implemented a "take home" book program: Students choose "just right" books that we borrowed from the book room. Students are allowed to take these books home in order to complete their most important homework: Reading Reading Reading!
However, we know that literacy is not a singular activity. Instead, it is something to be explored and shared with both small and large groups alike. Students will read with one another, and families are invited into the classroom twice a week to read with the children. Parental involvement like this not only strengthens reading skills, but it also builds a strong classroom community.