Hi. I am a first year Middle School resource teacher. Most of my kids are reading independently on 1st -2nd grade level. I have very few resources in the classroom and I am trying to put together a dream list of things that I want for my classroom. I have looked through a lot of hig-low book on the internet, but I do not actually know what is best. I would love some feedback on what everyone has used and thinks motivates the kids. I am using a Phonics program, but I really need some reading materials in the classroom that are at the appropriate level so that I can get the kids motivated and reading.
Thank you for all of your help.
April
I used easy readin gbooks from the library — but I had a self-contained class so the books didn’t go out of the classroom. We also had a bulletin board with a tree on it and every book they read turned into a leaf on the tree. I didn’t act like they were “baby” books — I got stuff like Nate the Great and Frog and Toad, which were still kind of hard for ‘em but of course they’re series’ so that helped.
Most “hi-low” books are cheesy, IMHO — and most of ‘em are still too hard. However, Gary Paulsen has written some good ones with lots of adventure, etc. There are some others listed at
http://www.resourceroom.net/Surfin/index2.asp#hilow
I did a *lot* of “buddy reading” where I”d read a paragraph, student read a paragraph, I read one, wiht groups up to five, and lots of reading aloud and lots of oral langauge developemnt.