Comments on: Amid the CCSS “shifts,” let’s not lose sight of independent reading practice

By: Fawn Simpson

Fawn Simpson — Mon, 31 Mar 2014 19:28:30 +0000

I agree that socioeconomics also plays a role. I’ve seen it over and over again. If the parents aren’t engaged, because they lack education, it’s hard to get the student engaged. But students have to fall in love with reading. It has to be an adventure! It has to be fun and exciting. They need to be introduced to that at such an early age. If you don’t catch them early, they are almost gone, forever.

By: Denise Cottenmyre

Denise Cottenmyre — Mon, 31 Mar 2014 14:02:01 +0000

I agree! I have seen reluctant readers in 6th grade develop into readers begging for more time by the 8th grade because we took the time to find books they enjoy.

By: Everlena Jones-Walker

Everlena Jones-Walker — Sat, 29 Mar 2014 19:09:22 +0000

I agree that independent reading is important coupled with early interventions and consistency.

By: Eric Stickney

Eric Stickney — Sat, 29 Mar 2014 17:58:05 +0000

This is a great question. I probably should have qualified the statement about the three characteristics of practice (quantity, quality, challenge) that we know independently influence reading achievement growth. Those are the factors we can measure quantitatively with Accelerated Reader. So while each is important, they’re not the only factors that matter. Measuring other important constructs like engagement is tougher, and something we’re not able to do directly (at least at the moment, and not on a large scale). But you raise an important point; research by John Guthrie and others paints a clear picture, that the students who do the most reading are engaged in what they read, and have positive attitudes towards reading, among other related characteristics. The good news is that student engagement isn’t set in stone, it’s something that can be improved with instruction, feedback, providing students with choice, finding materials at the right challenge level, setting goals, parental involvement, and other strategies.

By: Mary Salvador

Mary Salvador — Sat, 29 Mar 2014 14:50:37 +0000

I agree that independent reading is very important.

By: Rebekah Roberts

Rebekah Roberts — Sat, 29 Mar 2014 01:13:18 +0000

I am concerned about the country Finland and how they are doing so well in the reading literacy of their students and future achievements. What is your opinion about this?

By: Dave Herman

Dave Herman — Fri, 28 Mar 2014 21:17:28 +0000

It doesn’t. Common Core’s authors think reading is an end in itself, rather than a means to a higher understanding of life. The more they can bury the beauty of what can be ga

By: Matt Renwick

Matt Renwick — Thu, 27 Mar 2014 23:21:31 +0000

Thank you for sharing this research, Eric.

This quote resonated with me the most:

“Are the good readers good because they practice a lot, or do they practice a lot because they’re good?”

I think they practice a lot because they love reading and what it provides them. The benefits students receive from reading leads them to want to read more. The current research by Dr. John Guthrie (2012) and Dr. Gay Ivey & Dr. Peter Johnston (2013) support this idea. The findings suggest that students don’t read 20 minutes a day because they want to get better at reading, or to take a quiz. They read because they are engaged in what they are reading.

When you note quantity, comprehension, and challenge as three important practice variables, where does engagement fit in to the research puzzle?