Episode 066: Why Free Reading Is Important (Or, Just Say No to Accelerated Reader)

In today’s episode, Abby mentions a tweet that she read recently that prompted wondering about what free reading could (should?) look like in middle school and high school classrooms. We jumped into talking through the joys and challenges of creating a culture of reading–and how it might be more of an expectation at the elementary grades, but could have huge benefits for older students as well. We question the role of accountability programs like Accelerated Reader, and discuss the ways AR actually doesn’t promote a healthy, positive culture of reading within a school. Abby shares from her expertise as a literacy instructor about ways to scaffold reading instruction as part of fostering choice-based reading. Lots of dreaming in this episode, but we hope you’ll be encouraged to think about the culture of reading in your school, and possibly imagine ways to strengthen that culture.