Read voraciously

If you see readers who . . .

• may not see the value in reading and therefore read and consume very little text.
• are attempting to read material that is too difficult and thus read very little.
• lack background knowledge to support understanding of the text.
• would benefit from exposure to other types of text.

Readers need to spend an enormous amount of time engaged in successful reading to understand the world they live in.

Students must choose books that are a good fit, and read often.

Reading voraciously is found under each goal area on the CAFE Menu. The same principles for teaching this strategy hold true in all goal areas. In this case readers need to spend a tremendous amount of time reading to increase their comprehension. Our language for introducing voracious reading changes slightly, depending on the goal.

Create a whole class of students who see the value and joy in reading and are motivated to read by

• reading to the class each and every day from a wide variety of materials, modeling a love of reading and a love for words;
• providing time each day for children to read material of their choice that is of high interest to them;
• providing ongoing support, matching readers to texts based on interest and readability;
• providing a wide range of reading material that is of interest to all your students; and
• sharing your reading journey, including books you are reading and words you are learning.

Suggested language:

• What is the next book you plan to read?
• How many books have you read?
• What is your reading goal?

Possible ways to differentiate instruction:

• In school and classroom libraries, maintain current copies of a wide range and variety of reading materials for readers to choose.
• Check in with readers often to monitor the constant consumption of reading material and their understanding of what they are reading.
• Engage in a conversation explaining the importance of choosing good-fit books, and review I-PICK.
• Revisit reading behaviors. Does the student get started right away, stay in one spot, ignore distractions, read the whole time, and persevere?
• Read the first few pages of a book with the student to discuss the text and increase engagement with it.

Reconsider materials, setting, instruction, and cognitive processes.

These strategies may provide support before, during, and after teaching this strategy:

• Set a Purpose for Reading
• Read Text That Is a Good Fit
• Tune In to Interesting Words