interests them will increase motivation to read.
When finished, the students write an entry in a journal or log that includes the student's name, date, room number, book title, author, number of pages, genre, summary, and reading goal (purpose) for their next book. Gunning (2004) suggests that when activating knowledge, the reader may stir up questions on a topic that may inspire the next reading goal. Additionally, I have my students critique the book (stating both positive and negative opinions) with the purpose of encouraging close reading.
Allowing students to formulate and share their own thoughts on a book in writing provides them with a "purposeful reason to return to a text for a closer look" (Dobler, 2013, p. 13). Weiner (1990) concurs that close reading and writing go hand-in-hand. This opens the door for further reading and writing and pushes students to a higher level of thinking. Having the students be responsible for the aforementioned will help them focus on how to summarize a book, allow them to give their opinion on a book, and produce a reading goal. Creating a reading goal provides motivation for students themselves without having to answer to others. This eliminates the sense of competition with others and leaves it solely with the individual.
In the district where I teach, a program similar to that of the Pizza Hut Book-It program is the norm, and students may choose to participate. As teachers, we felt this program was good for beginning readers, but it did nothing for comprehension or pushing students to delve outside their comfort zones. We decided as a grade level team to try the reading tree as a means to motivate students to read and to get more from their reading. Depending on the set-up of the school, this program can be used for the entire school, per classroom, per grade level, or per teams.
For our LEAF program, a reading tree was created out of butcher paper and strategically placed in the hallway. The phrase "Grow Your Roots in Reading" was attached around the tree. The tree began as just a trunk with branches. The goal was for the students to earn a leaf to add to the tree by reading a book and fulfilling requirements in their reading journal. Once the criteria were met, a leaf was given to the student on which to write his/her name, classroom, book title, author, and genre. The leaf was then attached to the wall seemingly on the branches.
Two purposes are served when the tree is
placed in a high-traffic zone. First, the student
has a sense of accomplishment and will most likely have a desire to earn another leaf. Second, other students see who has earned a leaf and may get inspired to read a book recommended by another student. Earning a leaf is an extrinsic reward; however, Lyons (2003) believes that building intrinsic moti-vation stems from "working hard, surmounting challenges, and ultimately succeeding" (p. 83).
The ulti-mate goal is two-fold---to have the tree in full bloom by the end of the year and for the students to grow a fondness for reading.
Grow Your Students' Roots in Reading
Charity Brady is a fourth grade teacher at Wanda Gray Elementary in Springfield, MO.
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