Anchor Charts: Starting Read to Self

Hello Readers!  

I hope everyone is off to a fabulous new school year!  I wanted to share how I normally start independent reading.  So, for the past couple weeks I have been filling the students' book boxes with leveled paper books.  These books can be from Reading A-Z, paper books from your reading program, self made, whatever you can find but try to make them very read-able for your kiddos.  After you have about 5-6 books, have a mini lesson on Read to Self.  This lingo came from the Daily 5 initiative but I have my own spin on centers.  I do really like the language of Read to Self though.  Easy, concise and kids can visualize it.  



First, I bring everyone to the carpet, I take chart paper and create a "T" chart.  We discuss all of the things the kids should be doing during read to self:  sitting where they cannot touch another student, reading books from their book boxes (reading can mean using the pictures to invent a story), quiet, comfortable, whisper reading, etc.  Then we talk about what I am doing:  working with students.  

After the chart is created, we practice this activity each day. I started the first time with a 4 min block of time.  In Daily 5, it says to stop the students and revisit the anchor chart if someone gets off task.  I believe that disrupts the kiddos that are working hard so I independently visit the off take child and review the chart.  Each day I add a minute or two to our time until we get to 15 minutes.  We revisit the anchor chart each day for the first 3-4 days and then as needed.  It is also posted in the room after the first few days.  

And now you have indpenedent readers at any level!!  

As the year progresses, I also have a mini-lesson on "Just Right" books from the classroom library.  You can either have students add these to their book boxes or have these books as an additional choice during this time.  

I hope you try Read to Self and see all of readers start blooming like I have!