Building Reading Proficiency at the Secondary Level: A Guide to Resources

What is it? How does it work?

Background:
Reading Workshop was introduced by Nancie Atwell as she described the reading and writing that occurred in her middle school classroom (Atwell, 1987). Her stories told how language abilities of all students grew when they were provided opportunities to think about, talk about, and write about self-selected texts.

Overview:
Using a constructivist approach to learning, Nancie Atwell (Atwell, 1987) created a classroom where talk about books resembled the talk that occurred at her own dining room table. In this middle school English language arts classroom, all students were invited to read and discuss their responses texts (Atwell, 1998). At the heart of Atwell's Reading Workshop were three tenets. First students were provided time to read. Second, students gained ownership over texts by selecting what they read. Finally, students responded to the texts they read in a variety of ways.

During Atwell's reading Workshop students were engaged in reading or responding to reading for the entire period. Students were required to engage in reading primarily narrative texts. Students were not allowed to disturb others. Atwell insisted that her students make up the required reading time if absent. During Atwell's and others reading workshops, "book talk" is constant and occurs in multiple ways.

In this Reading Workshop approach, the teacher served as an expert reading/writing guide. Teachers read and wrote alongside their students thus modeling literary discussions and responses to reading.

In recent years, the number of professional books devoted to students' talk about books has grown (Roser, Strecker & Martinez, 2000). Students talk in literature circles, book clubs, and literature discussion groups. When students participate in literature circles, students read independently and "think collaboratively" (Short, 1995). Occurred in several ways. The primary goal of these circles is to encourage students to become critical thinkers. Book clubs differ slightly in that a small group of three to five students meet to discuss one particular book. During their conversations they actively clarify confusing parts of the text, make connections to other texts or similar personal experiences as well as discuss the author's craft and intent. (McMahom & Raphael, 1997). Literature discussion groups rely on open-ended discussions in small self-selected groups. Teachers assist in guiding students toward insights or interpretations particularly suited to the text (Eeds & Peterson, 1991). The approach helps students develop their identities as readers and writers.