Abolish Alliteracy: Building a Culture of Reading

Beth Claycomb, M.S. Ed.7th Grade Language Arts

Lewis-Palmer Middle SchoolMonument, Colorado

Pop Quiz!

Young people have an average of 5 hours of leisure time to fill every day. How do you as an adult feel young people should divide up the following activities to fill that time?

1. Reading 2. Video games 3. Sports4. Relaxing 5. TV 6. Socializing

What is Alliteracy?

• Sometimes spelled “aliteracy”• Having the ability to read (no disability or lack

of education) but not wanting to• Alliteracy is not being illiterate• Alliteracy is its own issue– Perhaps not the same as a reluctant reader, shy

reader, picky reader, etc. . .

Why Alliteracy?

• Alliteracy and the Middle School Student– “The alliteracy rate in America is alarming.”

(Brassell, 2013)– University of Oxford study (Taylor, 2011)

• My experiences• Master’s Capstone

What does the research say?

• The value of reading (Kelley & Decker, 2009)• Self-Efficacy = Motivation (Mucherah & Yoder, 2008)• Self-selection of reading material (Pritcher et al.,

2007)• Reading role models (Tilley, 2009)• Reading for fun as “extremely important”

(Scholastic, 2014)• Dedicated reading time (Kittle, 2009; Miller, 2014)• The success of SSR

What do the bloggers say?

• Teachers, literacy experts, and bloggers report that the love of reading is being “killed”

What do students say?

Pop Quiz Results

What are our expectations?

• A love of reading should be cultivated• Teachers and parents recognize that the love

of reading can pave the way for a successful future

• Reading for pleasure should be part of a child’s extra-curricular day

Building a Culture around Booksor

How to Put the FUN into Reading

• Reading for pleasure should be . . . a pleasure• How do we help students recognize reading

can be a pleasure?

Show off Your Reading Skills

• Talk about your own reading• Post a “currently reading” sign– Change the title regularly

• Ask your students for recommendations for your next read• Share where you find good

books to read– Goodreads? Family or Friends?

Impress With Your Reading Recommendations

• Teacher recommendations are powerful• Book Talk Of The Day!!!!!• Mention a book you read in middle school or

high school– Double power if you have a copy of the book with

you– Get a copy from the library– Embrace the hype; start a waiting list

Book Recommendation Bulletin Boards

Connect & Engage with Students

• Talk with students about what they’re reading for fun

• Carry your book with you when you’re in the hallways

• Use conference bookmarks to discuss books with students on a deeper level or if you’ve never read the book

Created by Kristen Del Mul

Create a Zen Atmosphere

• During reading times think about adding:• Flexible seating• Dimming the lights• Allowing snacks• Reading with your students– Show the art of real-world reading

Read Aloud Magic

• Read Jim Trelease’s book The Read-Aloud Handbook– “When you read aloud to anyone, it’s a commercial for

the pleasures of reading.”• Add read aloud time to class time by:– Borrow a book from a student who has one that looks

interesting– Read an engaging short story, article, or blog post– Read the first book in a series

• Use Audible or Librovox• Lunch with Harry Potter

More Read Aloud Magic

• Make it a special occasion!– All Night Reading, St. Ann’s School, Brooklyn, NY

• “Reading in the Streets” day– Sara Lissa Paulson, Queens, NY

• Celebrate a book anniversary or author birthday– Laura Ingalls Wilder’s birthday, Feb. 7th– Hunger Games, Sept. 14th

Finding the Time• Help students find time to read in

their day• Encourage students to carry their

book with them– The Book-a-Roo (patent pending)

• Do they know that their phone is also a book?– Reading Apps– Overdrive; Kindle

• Where do you find time to read? – Reading in bits & pieces

Reading as a Sport

• Reading Competitions• Reading Without Walls

Reading Challenge– #readingwithoutwalls

• #bookaday• Mrs. Claycomb’s Summer

Reading Program

Rewards? Incentives?

• Reading is the reward!– Bonus reading if. . .

• It’s Friday the 13th

• The Broncos win• There should have been a snow

day

• All 7 Red Reads– I Am Malala– Harry Potter Friday

• Book Light Wars• Cupcake Lunch

Impact Outside of School• Enlist the help of parents– Remind parents of the power of pleasure reading

during parent night or conferences– “Storytime with your Middle Schooler?”

• Suggest books– Provide lists of books for parents to use for gift giving

• Give books– Copies of sequels of class novels– Use books as prizes– All Hallows Reads

Additional Resources

Additional Resources• Book Love by Penny Kittle• The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller• Igniting a Passion for Reading by Stephen Layne• No More Reading for Junk by Marinak & Gambrell• The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease• Readicide by Kelly Gallagher• Reading in the Wild by Donalyn Miller• “The Reading Makover” TedxVillageGate by Danny Brassell• Raising Kids Who Read by Daniel T. Willingham

Contact Info:

• Email– bclaycomb@lewispalmer.org

• Twitter – @bgclaycomb

• Pinterest – pinterest.com/bethgclaycomb

• SlideShare– Search “Beth Claycomb”