How to Create a Supportive Environment for Reading

Teachers play a main role in creating a positive environment for students to read. Getting the students motivated and encouraged to read is the most important step in literacy. When students have the opportunity to select their own reading they become more involved with reading.

• A positive attitude: Children come from all different kinds of backgrounds from families who read to them all the time all the way to families who don't even have books available for their children. Attitude and desire is everything, a child's attitude toward reading will show how much effort, motivation, and engagement they will have in reading.
• Motivation: Motivation is a critical part of engagement. When students want to spend more reading, this means that their motivation has increased. Motivation plays a dual role with engagement, engaged children read for a variety of reasons. Motivation is a concern in the classroom because the lack of motivation is a problem teachers face. Five things to motivate children to read would be: 1. self-selection of books, 2. access to a variety of fiction and nonfiction books, 3. books that are personally interesting, 4. access to lots of books, 5. being read to by teachers and family members and when peers shared what they were reading with them.
• Self-selected literature: Children like to read books that are consistent with their development level. Enjoyment of a book can't be forced upon a child, they have to naturally want to read the book to get any pleasure out of it. No matter what teachers or parents do children are always going to pick books that reflect their interests and preferences.
• Range of genre: Teachers need to provide their students with a range of books to cover the interests of all the students. The books need to range from authentic texts, picture books, easy readers, chapter books, informational books, poetry, magazines, newspapers, and biographies. Giving children the opportunity to engage in a range of genres allows them to understand how different genres are organized.
• Time for reading: Giving students the time to read and illustrate their skills and strategies that are important to reading. Students should have the opportunity to choose their own books within their level of reading.
• Vocabulary and concept development: An important factor for students to comprehend the reading is the students prior knowledge. Things that can build up a students prior knowledge are field trips, discussions about the text, and hands-on activities. A teacher can use graphic organizers to help students make connections to the text.