AIR. What is it and why should you include it in your K-2 rotations?
If you teach K-2 you are probably familiar with the idea of Literacy Rotations. For many years, a very popular framework was Daily 5, which included Read to Self. Over the last several years, as teachers and districts move more towards the Science of Reading, there has been a lot of debate on whether or not young children engaging in read to self time is beneficial.
We all know there are kids who spend the entire independent reading time twirling their thumbs, staring into space, or fooling around.
I am a firm believer in children spending time with real books in their hands. So, how can we make that time meaningful, and should we be spending our time on independent reading for beginning or struggling readers?
Benefits of Accountable Independent Reading (AIR)
When coupled with an accountability piece, AIR time can help students engage more deeply with a text. When students have access to a selection of decodable and high interest books, they are able to engage with materials that support their skills, challenge them, and interest them. Adding in accountability sheets gets them thinking about their book. Beginning readers and writers can draw about what they read. Intermediate readers and writers can retell a story, and more advanced readers and writers can make text to self connections.
AIR can be personalized for each student. Using book bins or bags allows both the teacher and the student to curate a personalized selection of decodable and high interest books.
AIR is engaging for students. Yes, really! When students have some choice in their reading materials, they are more likely to read. Choice doesn't need to end with high interest books either. I keep a section in my library with decodables at each students level that they can choose from. They LOVE non-fiction decodables!
Accountable time can help students learn to love reading. Giving a child a book that they don't care about and forcing them to look at it for 15 minutes a day isn't going to make kids love reading. In fairness, some kids just are not going to love reading, no matter the structure. But, as teachers, we can help make that time more meaningful and enjoyable. This goes back to personalizing those choices for students. Spending time helping a student create their book selection is time well spent. When students have access to books they can read without struggling, or books that they are so interested in that it makes them want to be a better reader, they are more likely to be motivated to read, and spend more time reading.
Okay. So those are some of the why's. But how?
Book Bins
Once a month or so, we switch out our book bins. In my classroom these are bags that hang from their desks, but other classrooms use bins or other organizational methods. The key here is that every student gets their own personalized bin or bag.
Kids love choice. This is a perfect space to allow them choice in their reading. I have a library full of high interest books my students can choose from. When we switch out their bags, they choose 2-4 high interest books. They are not required to be able to read these books. These books are the books that speak to their heart and their interests. These are the books that make them want to read.
When students are using high interest books, they often can not read the words. That's ok. Students spend the time flipping the pages, tracking print from left to right, and exploring the parts of a book. They use the pictures to make up their own story (note: this is not the same as using the pictures to read the book).
We also fill these bags with decodable books. These books are partly curated by me, and partly by the student. I provide students with a handful of starter decodables at their level (we use EL Education microphases, and I provide decodables based on their microphase). I also have microphase section in my library. This section houses decodables that are either current, or review skills for each groups microphase. Students are able to select their own decodables from their microphase library. This way students are still being provided with books that they can read, and they still get to choose books that interest them. Win!
Making Independent Reading Accountable
The current push is for everything to be rigorous. For everything to be accountable. As someone who feels very strongly about the power of play in education, this is not always easy for me, and I often find myself at odds with some of the current direction in education. However. I can and do see the value in making independent reading accountable.
I'll admit, it took me a little bit to get on board with this. Just let them enjoy books! Just let them learn for the sake of learning! Let them be little! It can still be a struggle for me to require a check in for reading. I want my students to read for the pleasure of reading, I don't always want to make reading work!
So, here's how I balance that. I don't introduce the Accountable part of AIR until October. Fridays are accountability free with Flashlight Friday. And, kids get to choose how they are accountable.
We begin the year with just reading. Just looking at books. Just getting into the routine. In October, I introduce our first accountability option. Draw It! This is easy, even for non readers and non writers. Draw what you 'read' about. A few weeks later I add a sentence stem to Draw It! Tell me what you read about.
Over time I add in additional choices for students that are ready. Retell the story. Who was the main character? How does this story remind you of something in your life?
Students then have the option of completing the AIR sheet, or recording themselves on SeeSaw telling me about the book.
This system has been working well for us. Students still get choice and voice, and honestly, I think they are thriving with the accountability piece. There is very little staring at the ceiling, kids are searching their books and excited to share what they read about.
I've linked some AIR sheets below, but you can get started on this without worksheets! Here are some ideas!
Hand out post it notes or blank paper and have students record what they read.
Have a book club meeting where students share what they read this week.
Create a recommended book shelf where students can place a book they read and loved and think other students should read too.
Students can create small plays based on the book they read.
So much of our teaching and learning is scripted and preplanned these days. Accountability doesn't have to be more work. It doesn't have to be boring. You might even find your students love it!
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