Reading Strategies

November 18, 2009  
Filed under News

By: Miryssa Espinoza

Ahhh reading, some hate it, and some love to just curl up by a fireplace and read a 500-page novel. For all freshmen, the Mountain View reading strategies class is for students who need improvements in reading.

Many students do not find reading a fun “outside of school” activity. So why add it if many students do not enjoy reading? Well, the district is trying to raise reading scores. Some students seem to have reading troubles, and to help fix that, the board created a class to increase reading abilities. Without the passing score on the state reading test, students cannot graduate. This years reading class teachers are Matt Fox and Beth Zilk.

In this class, students have discussions with other classmates and the teacher about the book they are currently reading. Sitting on the couches doing independent reading is also found in the classroom. When students aren’t doing these things, some are sitting on the computers reading into microphones using software to guide them through their reading.

Freshman Sean Paul says, “I do have problems reading and I would like to change that. I haven’t taken a reading class before, and it’s okay, but not that fun. I would have to say that reading into microphones is a little uncomfortable and awkward. It is a year long class, but the environment is very good and the teacher is great.”

It seems that with this class, there are positive outcomes on the students. More kids are actually excited to read and want to pick up their books. Getting to choose the book they want to read does have a better influence on them. Rather than reading books the teacher may choose, they’re free to decide for themselves on the genres they like and pick books from the classroom library.

“The class has helped me improve how many words I can read in one minute. I do like that we get to choose our own books because it’s better to get to read what you want to read.” Said Freshman Anne Gamber.

If you are someone who already enjoys reading, then the class is still a good way to improve your skills. Being in a reading strategies class does not mean you have special difficulties or that you’re not a good reader, it’s just a class to help make reading easier for you and work to make you a stronger reader.