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| Summer Reading Rationale |
What do real readers do?
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With practice, people become better readers. The more a student reads - the more words
that a student encounters - the better that student will be as a reader and the more
challenging the material that she will be able to read. Students must practice their
reading. They should not take a vacation from reading during the summer; nor should
they be forced to read material that reinforces the idea that reading is another form
of punishment. It is with these points in mind that the Worcester Public Schools has
developed its Summer Reading Program.
Reading and literacy lie at the heart of education. Students must read in every grade
and in every subject. And in spite of society’s growing reliance on technology and the
increasing influence of electronic media, facility to read remains indispensable to
academic success. Good readers have a better chance of doing well in school and on
standardized tests; poor readers are less likely to do well.
Beyond strict academic concerns, however, reading opens to us worlds of wonder and delight.
It gives us insight into ourselves and others; it creates opportunities for reflection
and consideration; it conveys experiences and sensations that can be found nowhere else.
And, of course, it can be fun.
With our summer reading program, we seek to create real readers, young people who will
follow their interests and discover the value, the rewards, and the joy of reading. We
recognize that reading takes many forms, books being just one of those forms. We seek
to encourage students to spend time over the summer reading and to make a commitment
to becoming genuine readers.
We realize that real readers do not automatically plan an activity after finishing a
piece of reading. They probably don’t make up an alternative title, or create a T-chart
or Venn diagram on the book, or imagine themselves as one of the characters and write a
diary entry from that character’s perspective. They might, however, think about their
reading and talk about their reading and reflect upon their reading. If that reflection
leads them to create a Venn diagram, that would be fine.
We invite students to choose their own reading material, to share their choices with
family members, to read beyond what is required, and to make a commitment to read. We
want students to reflect upon their reading and connect their reading to their lives
and to the world around them. In short, we want our students to develop the habits and
practices of real readers.
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© 2008 Worcester Public Schools. All Rights Reserved.
20 Irving Street, Worcester, MA 01609-2493
Designed and modified by Mohammed Siddiqui
This page was last modified on 10/14/2008
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