Tag: reading

Building Novel Connections: How to Center Book Clubs in Today’s Literacy Classrooms

By Dr. Sarah Valter

Almost two years ago, another mom from my children’s school posted a simple question on Facebook: “Thinking about starting a book club. Anyone interested?”

It took approximately two seconds for me to reply with a (likely overeager) “ME!” And I wasn’t alone. By the next day, almost a dozen of us moms–most of us merely acquaintances who gave a polite nod to each other at school parties and social events–were on board. And thus, a book club was born. Since then, our little group has bonded over books about amazing women in historical fiction, unreliable narrators in suspense novels, and too-good-to-be-true love stories.

Why were we all so drawn to be in a book club together?

It wasn’t because we needed a push to read; each of us is a bookworm with a strong reading identity.


It wasn’t because we wanted to write about a book; we each have our own style of recording and reflecting on our reading.

And it wasn’t because we needed an excuse to gather; we all have friendships and social lives both in and out of this group.

It was because a book club was a space for us to grow together through our shared experiences with books. We could explore characters and relationships and the truths that run through our real lives and are reflected in the books we share.

As a former fourth- and fifth-grade teacher, then instructional coach, and now a literacy coordinator, I’ve been watching students navigate their way through book clubs for years. It’s often messy and unpredictable. It rarely goes well the first time (or even the second or the third). Some students struggle to keep up, while others have a difficult time not reading ahead for spoilers. 

As I’ve seen an increase over the past few years in resources that teach reading skills through shorter excerpts of books, it’s affirmed my belief that it’s more important than ever for kids to have the opportunity to meet, discuss, and learn in book clubs. Like adults, kids thrive on the connections that are built through books. 

It’s also critically important that we set students up for success. With limited time, a significant amount of material and standards to teach, and kids with a broad spectrum of needs, it’s essential to set students up with the skills and conditions for successful book clubs. To do that, we need to be clear and intentional in several areas:

  • Focus on what kids need to practice. Our days are filled with opportunities for students to refine their comprehension skills, write about reading, decode multisyllabic words, and learn new vocabulary. These are all certainly things kids can do–in small doses–in book clubs, but what is the true purpose of book clubs? When we set kids up to read and discuss a text, we are extending an invitation for them to construct knowledge in the most social of ways. We want them to come to the table with one idea about a character or plot twist and walk away with a deeper understanding or a shift in their thinking. Book clubs are the place for kids to practice talking about books in ways that push their thinking and engage them in healthy and respectful discourse with peers. All other skills should be secondary to this focus.
  • Teach conversational skills. We don’t expect kids to be natural writers or readers. Similarly, though we know they know how to talk and usually have plenty to say, they often haven’t ever been taught how to have the type of conversation that takes place at the level of a book club. They have to know how to share ideas, support them with evidence from the text, listen to one another, take turns, clarify their thinking, and be willing to shift their ideas and be open to new ones. All of these are skills we can teach through modeling, coaching, and using guided practice during whole group read alouds so that kids are ready to engage in thoughtful conversations during book clubs. These skills do take practice; we also need to remind ourselves to have realistic expectations and to slowly build them over time.
  • Keep it moving. Novels aren’t meant to take two months to read. Often, we slow down the pace of a book in the hopes that all students can “keep up,” but what actually happens is that we neglect to build a sense of excitement and urgency around the novel. While being mindful of the diverse needs of kids in our classrooms and the limited amount of in-class reading time we can provide, we need to set up a schedule of discussions that moves kids in and out of novels within the span of a few weeks.
  • Consider alternatives to clubs centered around one book. In Breathing New Life into Book Clubs (2019), Sonja Cherry-Paul and Dana Johansen lay out several types of book clubs that differ from the norm, pushing teachers to think about grouping kids by genre, author, historical event, identity, goal, or even podcast. Not only have these ideas pushed me to think about grouping kids differently, but they emphasize the ways in which book clubs encourage readers to make connections that are centered around much more than events in one book.
  • Seek opportunities for choice. Many times book clubs are established based on student reading abilities, the number of copies of a book that are available, or a system of voting. While the parameters of clubs are always up to teacher discretion, it is definitely worth it to loosen the reins and be very open to student ideas and choices. Giving kids the opportunity to practice selecting a book and a group will once more position them with the power to drive their own reading decisions.
  • Make it authentic. I have seen and–I will admit–even created many book club “packets” over the years. Why? My decisions were rooted in the need for grades and accountability. However, if anyone were to tell me that I couldn’t attend my adult book club without 3 questions and a summary written down, I would quickly abandon the idea of being part of the group. To stay true to the spirit of a book club, the work (and play) should be focused around talk and sharing ideas. When students have to complete paperwork as an admission ticket to even be part of the club, something natural and authentic is lost. Instead, try having students jot down a few ideas for things they might talk about before they meet, then follow up with a few ideas or new thinking when their conversation has ended. This will allow them to capture their ideas (and share some of their thinking with you) in a way that is not just another task.

Book clubs are, at their very core, a chance for us to hook kids on the social power of books. They bring reading to life in a new way and show our youngest reader that not all readers think and feel the same way about a book. In a time where programs are continually forcing classroom instruction to focus on short excerpts of text and conversational skills are often lost through a screen, what could be more important than allowing kids to connect through a rich conversation about a good book?

References and Recommended Reads:

Cherry-Paul, S. & Johansen, D. (2019) Breathing new life into book clubs: A practical guide for teachers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Kugler, S. (2023). Better book clubs: Deepening comprehension and elevating conversation. Portsmouth, NH: Stenhouse Publishers.

Sarah Valter is the district Literacy Coordinator for Lindbergh Schools in St. Louis, MO. In her two decades in education, Sarah has taught in the primary and intermediate grades, mentored new teachers, coached at the building and district levels, and led professional development in literacy. She is also an adjunct instructor at St. Louis University, working with undergraduate and graduate students. Sarah is a wife and mother, spending most evenings driving from practice to practice and weekends cheering in audiences or on the sidelines. You can follow Sarah on X at @LitCoachValter.She believes strongly that all children and adults should not only have the skills to read and write, but also the motivation to live as lifelong readers and writers.

The Art and Science of Teaching Reading

By Jennifer Serravallo

Discussions of evidence-based reading instruction, what many refer to as “the science of reading,” are everywhere. In fact, thirty-seven states and the District of Columbia have passed legislation that requires schools to use research-based resources to teach reading in elementary school. The science of reading refers to a multidisciplinary body of research that examines how kids learn to read and identifies what works in literacy instruction. However, there isn’t a central repository for the research and no list of which studies are and are not included. And of course, researchers continue to add to the body of research as new studies uncover new findings.  

I’m a big believer in using research to inform how we teach reading. As an author and literacy consultant, I have always used research to better understand the practices that are most likely to impact the most students. And I think we need to look at all the research, not just those studies that support a certain perspective. For example, in my newest book, Teaching Reading Across the Day, I cite and interpret more than 300 studies, meta-analyses, and papers. Research about phonics and word reading, knowledge and vocabulary development, strategy instruction, fluency, comprehension, verbal reasoning, executive function skills, language structure, engagement and motivation, and theory of mind are all key to developing proficient readers. I also lean on research about pedagogy, explicit instruction, and inquiry, as well as how to teach responsively – offering feedback and guiding students. 

But here’s the thing about research: controlled studies, meta-analyses, brain research, reader models, etc. are all a great starting place. However, for the research to have an impact on student learning, teachers need to understand how best to implement findings in the classroom, and how to accommodate the inevitable variability as individual student needs come into play. So, while I read research and talk to researchers for my podcast To the Classroom, I also spend time with teachers in classrooms around the country as a guest teacher, coach, and collaborator. I model lessons, and together we problem-solve, test, and refine ideas, using the research, but also relying on our teaching experience and expertise, with the goal of meeting every student’s need. I was honored when Rachael Gabriel, a professor of Literacy Education at the University of Connecticut called me a faithful translator of reading research, since that’s exactly what I aim to be! When I share practices, strategies, or ideas in my books or workshops they are not only grounded in decades of research, they are also classroom-tested. 

One of the problems my team of consultants and I have been trying to solve lately is how to ensure teaching is explicit, engaging, well-planned and well-paced, while keeping planning and preparation time reasonable. In the schools we support, we find that teachers are working hard to address a wide range of student needs with grade level texts in ELA and across content areas, while also incorporating science of reading-aligned practices, sometimes using a new curriculum. Leaning on the research around explicit engaging instruction, we’ve come to rely on nine lesson types (read aloud, phonics and spelling, vocabulary, focus, shared reading, close reading, guided inquiry, reader’s theater, and conversation) that ELA and content teachers can depend on. If you know the pacing, structure, teaching moves, and predictable ways you’ll need to respond for each lesson type, you spend less time planning, which keeps your focus – and your students’ – on the content you’re teaching. 

© 2024 Serravallo, Teaching Reading Across the Day

© 2024 Serravallo, Teaching Reading Across the Day

And of course, it’s not just the science of teaching that’s important – the art of teaching is as well. The creativity you bring to your teaching, together with the hundreds of decisions you make daily to respond to the needs of the students in front of you often makes the difference as to whether a student learns or not. With the all the standards and content you must cover, responsive teaching is critical. No matter what curriculum you are using, it’s you and your responsiveness to student needs that makes the greatest impact on student learning.

Responsive teaching starts with a small set of predictable lesson structures and a great lesson plan. The beauty of relying on nine lesson structures is that you can use them to teach any text in any subject, although of course certain lesson structures are better suited to certain goals and content. Once you are familiar with the structure, you’ll save planning time as the steps become second nature and teaching within a structure will give you more flexibility to innovate and respond during the lesson.

Though responsiveness to students can feel like it’s all in-the-moment decision making, it’s possible to anticipate the prompting, support, redirection, or affirmation students might need as you guide them toward lesson objectives. This might include direct instruction when introducing a new vocabulary word. Or perhaps orchestrating a turn-and-talk to get students engaged and to assess their understanding. Or maybe modeling a particular reading strategy so students can see the steps you follow to determine key points or understand character motivation. 

© 2024 Serravallo, Teaching Reading Across the Day

When I teach a lesson, I’m always looking at and listening to the students, and getting feedback from them. I watch their facial expressions. I notice their body language. I tune in to nuances in their inflection. I attend to what they are not saying as well as what they are saying. If the students have bright faces and are eagerly following what I say, I can continue with the plan. Maybe they are further ahead than I anticipated, and I can pick up my pace or skip a part of the lesson. If I’m looking out at a sea of puzzled expressions and students are quiet, I may need to back up, slow down, and offer an extra explanation or demonstration. These pivots and adaptations not only impact student engagement during the lesson, they determine whether students learn or not. 

So, it’s about the science and the art – honoring the decades of research on reading and the collective experience of teachers. Research that doesn’t recognize the importance of the teacher doesn’t lead to a successful outcome. And teachers who don’t tap into and apply evidence-based reading instruction don’t reach as many students. It’s the marriage between the science and art of teaching that helps students become proficient readers.

Jennifer Serravallo is a NYT bestselling author, award-winning educator, literacy consultant, frequent invited speaker at state and national conferences, and former member of the Parents Magazine editorial board. Learn more about her and her work, including her podcast To the Classroom, at www.JenniferSerravallo.com. Her newest book, Teaching Reading Across the Day, is available now from Corwin Literacy.

As a special offer for CCIRA, Corwin is offering a 25% discount and free shipping for Teaching Reading Across the Day. Simply use the code SERRAVALLO at check out.