Things You'll Need:
- Books
- Newspapers
- Notebooks
- Pens
- Paper
- Dictionary
- Internet connection
- Computer
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Step 1
Read a variety of books. Choose books that are of interest to the students. Students should be encouraged to take weekly trips to the public library to select and check out books that are of interest to them.
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Step 2
Suggest good literature. Students can improve reading skills by reading the classics. This literature can be found in book lists for secondary readers. See the Resources at the end of this article for a link to a book list.
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Step 3
Read the news. Students should be encouraged to practice reading by reading news reports in a newspaper, news magazine or on the Internet.
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Step 4
Ask written questions. Write questions related to what the students read and ask them to answer them in writing. Ask both simple factual questions and complex questions which require reflection and interpretation.
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Step 5
Discuss answers in a literary circle. Verbally discuss their written answers in small groups, similar to a book club discussion. The discussion gives the students an opportunity to verbally explain what they wrote.
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Step 6
Review vocabulary words. Whenever students read, they should list unfamiliar words. The students should then locate the definitions of the words and use the words in a sentence. It’s also helpful if the students explain the meaning of the word as it relates to the context in the passage.
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Step 7
Ask the students to keep a journal so that they can track and reflect on what has been read. List the names of the books, a long with summaries the students' reactions.
