How to make reading a habit

Cultivating a student who enjoys reading and writing can be tricky. The key is to find something that they enjoy reading and to make the act of reading more interesting and hands-on.

There are a few group and individual activities you can create to help engage students in a hands-on way.

For example, have students create a fantasy sports league. They can nominate players for a fictional team only after they have read about that athlete and can make a case for why that athlete should be included on the team.

Another example is to have a Dare to Read contest: have students read horror books or mysteries then have them write reviews of whichever books they think are the most shiver-inducing. Whoever can make the best case for which book is the scariest.

Try to read aloud every day to your class. This is a fun way to engage students and to keep them interested in reading. While reading aloud, use animated voices, props, and visuals. Also, everyday include personal reading time at a regularly scheduled block of time each day.