Fostering Independent Reading

Getting high schoolers to read on their own is nearly impossible at this point. 

Seriously, there is SO much that they do outside of my class. I have students who do every sport known to man, are in the school musical, volunteer twice a week and also have leadership roles in our school's leadership program. 

Plus,  when they aren't doing any of that, there's screens. Videogames. Netflix. Youtube. Instagram Reels. Even Tiktok has been resurrected to haunt your favorite 14-18 year old's phone screen. 

So, how do we get students reading for fun again?  It's like trying to convince a cat to take a bath – possible, but requires some serious strategy (and maybe a few bribes). Here are some ways to sneak reading back into their jam-packed lives:

1. First Chapter Friday: Okay, hear me out. Every Friday, you read the first chapter of a book aloud. Make it dramatic. Use voices. Heck, bring props if you're feeling extra. The goal? To hook them like a bookish drug dealer. "Want more? You know where to find it." (In the library, obviously.) You can also make this a class project! Students can choose their books, do a little research on the authors, and read the book aloud, source an audiobook, or record themselves reading to play aloud in class. This assignment has been a hit at my school!

2.  The "Netflix of Books" Challenge: Create a bingo card with different genres or types of books. For each square they complete, they get a small reward. The kicker? They can "binge-read" a series for extra points. Turn it into a class-wide competition, and suddenly reading might become the new Stranger Things.

3. Social Media Book Club: If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Start a class Instagram or TikTok account where students can post 15-second book reviews or recreate scenes from books. Suddenly, reading becomes #trendy.

4. The "Audiobook Anywhere" Initiative: Remind students that audiobooks count as reading. Encourage them to listen while doing chores, working out, or commuting to their million activities. It's like multitasking, but with literature.

5. Real-World Reading Rewards: Partner with local businesses to offer small discounts or freebies for students who complete books. A free coffee for finishing "The Great Gatsby"? Suddenly, Fitzgerald is everyone's new best friend.

6. The "Choose Your Own Adventure" Reading List: Let students create their own reading lists based on their interests. Love sports? Great, here's a list of sports-themed novels and athlete biographies. Obsessed with true crime podcasts? Here's a selection of mystery novels that'll make your true crime-loving heart sing.

The key is to make reading feel less like a chore and more like a choice-- one they want to make! It's about sneaking books into their lives in ways that feel natural and exciting. And if all else fails, there's always the tried-and-true method of bribing them with extra credit. Hey, we've all been there!