Fostering a Love for Reading and Supporting Education: The Annual Elementary School Read-a-Thon

The Read-a-Thon is not just a competition; it's a celebration of literature and the joy of reading. With the goal of fostering a lifelong love for books, students are encouraged to explore diverse genres and learn through this meaningful competition. The event provides an opportunity for students to develop critical thinking skills, expand their vocabulary, and enhance their comprehension abilities.

As students participate in the Read-a-Thon, they are encouraged to set personal reading goals. Whether it's completing a certain number of books, exploring new genres, or conquering more challenging texts, the competition becomes a catalyst for literary growth. Through the process, students learn the value of goal-setting and perseverance, skills that extend beyond the realm of reading and into various aspects of their academic and personal lives.

The Read-a-Thon goes beyond the individual act of reading; it becomes a communal effort to support our school. Families, friends, and community members are invited to sponsor students in the read-a-thon. During the Read-a-Thon weeks, classroom corners become cozy reading nooks, teachers organize reading challenges, book discussions, and literary-themed activities to spark excitement and curiosity.

As the Read-a-Thon concludes, winners of the most minutes read and most funds raised as individuals and classes will be recognized at our school assembly in February. Will you join us in supporting our young readers? The videos below have been made by our students to share with other classes to promote enthusiasm surrounding the read-a-thon. We hope you’ll join in the fun and competition. Thank you for supporting our school!

Our Read-a-thon is Coming!

Read-a-thons actually get students excited about reading and it gives friends and family the opportunity to encourage your child to read even more. Our Read-a-thon will run from Monday, February 13 through Friday, February 24, 2023. We’d love to see 100% participation from our elementary students. There will be prizes for each reader based on their participation. We will even be offering more opportunities to read to gain Read-a-thon minutes while at school!

In the United States, 14 percent of the adult population—a staggering 32 million adults—cannot read.  “What’s more shocking is that we haven’t moved that needle in 10 years.  We know that literacy helps people escape the bonds of poverty and live longer.  We know that people who are literate are more inclined to vote, take part in their community, and seek medical help for themselves and their families. They’re also better equipped to take advantage of knowledge jobs, which are growing at explosive rates.”  – Marcie Craig Post, Executive Director of International Literacy Association, in a panel discussion at the Institute of International Education in New York City, April 2015.

Academy parents, please see your parent email to help get your reader registered and reading! This Read-a-thon will promote a beneficial skill for all students while raising funds for our school. Teaching students to read books is only the beginning. As they grow, their ability to critically think and put into play the literacy skills they’ve learned at a young age will bless their family and community. We hope you’ll join us in this exciting fundraiser!

Readers play a more active and involved role in their communities. The decline in reading, therefore, parallels a larger retreat from participation in civic and cultural life. The long-term implication of this study not only affects literature but all the arts – as well as social activities such as volunteerism, philanthropy, and even political engagement. – Dana Gioia, Chairman, NEA, “Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in America,” June 2004.

How To Teach Reading To Younger Kids

You may not be a teacher, but something as crucial as literacy should not be left as the sole responsibility of any one person. The more ways we know how to teach reading to younger kids, the more we can aid in their educational development. Whether it is your own kid or someone else’s, everyone benefits from investing into the next generation. So, here are some tips when helping those little ones learn how to read:

Have Patience. 

The first rule is obvious: have patience. If a child is scared of being wrong due to an overly strict teacher, they won’t try, and if they won’t try, they won’t learn how to progress. Don’t forget, English is no simple language. Even learning the word “patience” requires patience, because why in heaven’s name is the letter ‘t’ making a ‘sh’ sound? And why do we need a ‘c’ in the word, when we could just use the letter ‘s’? These young students must learn rules only to find out those rules are often broken. So remember to bear with them as they learn, because it is no easy task. 

Practice, Practice, Practice

Repetition is the key to retention. If a child only practices reading once a week, it may take them even longer than seven times the amount of time a kid who practices everyday may need. This is because the once a week practice will spend a good portion of time simply reviewing what they learned previously, whereas daily practice makes it easier for a child to remember and quickly build off of what they learned.

Assessments

Be aware of where a child is at in their reading journey. This will help you to know the next step they need to be taking, or if they need to pause and spend more time focusing on what they’ve already learned. Can they identify all the letters and their sounds? Can they pronounce C-V and C-V-C combinations? Do they know vowel combination rules? Do they understand the words they read? How many words can they read in a minute? The smaller and more specific each step is, the more you know exactly where your child is at, and exactly what you need to teach them next. So make sure to assess them as this will allow you to better organize their reading journey allowing them to progress faster. 

Make it Fun

If a child does not enjoy reading, there will be no desire to learn. They likely won’t understand how important it is for their future, so you may have to persuade them by having them read about a topic they enjoy. This may mean letting them choose the book or you could write a quick story utilizing some of their favorite cartoon characters. 

Don’t Stress

While it is important your child learns to read, don’t forget every student has different strengths. Some children learn faster than others, so don’t be anxious if your child is learning a bit slow. Although some kids could benefit from some extra attention or tutoring in this area, once a child learns to read, they should be able to catch up with their peers.  

Exercises and Activities

If your child is at the stage where they are learning to read, try out some of these activities to help them develop their sense of words and language. 

• Have them circle, box, or underline specific site words in a newspaper article

• Read to a child and occasionally pause to let them read the words they know how to read. 

• Have them follow along in a book while everyone takes turns reading aloud

• Have them try to write a simple story

• “Bring me something that starts with the letter _” Game

• Give them a picture or comic they must write a caption for

• Spelling quizzes with scrabble letters or spelling words out of playdough 

• Charades or pictionary where they must write down what others are acting out or drawing

• Have them make sticky note labels for as many things in their room as they can

• Teach them words on common signs or brand logos they are familiar with

• Re-read the same stories multiple times, to help them better remember certain words

• Play word game apps on a mobile device or computer. 

• Watch shows like Alphablocks  or Between the Lions

• Download reading apps on your mobile device

• “What’s the Missing Letter?” Word Game 

• Write letters in chalk in the driveway, and time how fast the kids can run to each letter to spell the words they are told. 

Sources: 

Crowe, Ashley. “27 Fun Reading Activities To Try At Home or In The Classroom.” Prodigy. December 16, 2021 (visited 10 April 2022). 

https://www.prodigygame.com/main-en/blog/reading-activities/ 

https://www.prodigygame.com/main-en/blog/reading-apps/ 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_qs3c0ehDvZkbiEbOj6Drg