Readers put their best foot forward when they read what matters to them and for their own purposes. “Pleasure reading” and “voluntary reading” are frequently linked to higher achievement in reading, but when we hover over students’ actual engagement in meaningful reading, we begin to understand that in these contexts, they are not simply reading more—they are actively shaping and expanding their own learning. What’s more, they frequently transcend common goals of school reading instruction. Engaged readers not only exert control over their reading strategies and meaning-making but also take charge of and direct their own mental and socio-emotional lives. We have examined research that reveals the agency demonstrated by engaged readers across the grade levels, both in their reading strategies and in their purposes for reading. In this session, we will highlight these examples and the contexts that make them possible. Importantly, we will consider how the benefits of reading students accomplish on their own might be more fully realized (a) in the classroom; and (b) by a broader swath of students, including those who find reading difficult and/or do not typically choose to read.
Presenters:
Dr. Gay Ivey, William E. Moran Distinguished Professor in Literacy, Department of Teacher Education and Higher Education, University of North Carolina, Greensboro - https://www.uncg.edu/employees/gay-ivey/
Dr. Karole-Ann Friddle, Assistant Professor in Literacy Studies, College of Education, East Carolina University - https://education.ecu.edu/directory/
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