Making Reading Social: Encouraging Authentic Student Responses

Matt Renwick

Oct 12, 2024

In Matt Renwick's article, Making Reading Social: Encouraging Authentic Student Responses, he explores how educators can foster meaningful student engagement with reading through authentic, community-based responses. Renwick begins by sharing a personal story where his son voluntarily took an Accelerated Reader (AR) quiz, which led him to realize that students often want to share and respond to what they read in a social context.

The Social Nature of Reading

Renwick emphasizes that while reading might seem like a solitary activity, it’s also a profoundly social experience. Readers often feel a natural inclination to share insights, discuss favorite titles, or recommend books to others. In classrooms, encouraging this social aspect can help build a community of readers, where students engage more deeply with texts and each other. The key, according to Renwick, is providing creative, authentic opportunities for students to respond to what they’ve read in meaningful ways.

Tools for Social Reading

Technology plays an important role in creating these opportunities. One tool Renwick highlights is Biblionasium, a kid-friendly digital platform that serves as a social book club. It allows students to post book reviews, rate titles, and discover new books recommended by peers. By integrating this tool with the school’s library system, teachers can monitor students’ reading habits and preferences, helping them guide future reading choices. Renwick praises Biblionasium for being a low-cost and more engaging alternative to traditional reading response technologies, such as Accelerated Reader.

Non-Tech Options for Authentic Responses

For teachers looking for non-technical options, Renwick suggests a community reading journal. In this system, students write book recommendations and reflections in a shared notebook that’s accessible to the entire class. When students are unsure of what to read next, they can flip through the journal and see what their peers have written, fostering a communal, peer-driven approach to book selection and reflection.

Integrating Reader Response with Writing and Speaking

Renwick also encourages incorporating reader response into larger academic tasks, such as persuasive writing and public speaking. For example, students could create podcasts or video book reviews, which allow them to engage critically with the text while also practicing persuasive techniques. These multimedia projects combine creativity with academic rigor and can be assessed through backward design, where teachers set clear learning goals and criteria for success.

Modeling Authentic Responses

Teachers can further engage students by modeling authentic responses themselves. Renwick shares how he created a book trailer for an author visit, using his own response as an example for students. By inviting students to critique and improve his work, Renwick demonstrates that responses to literature are not only academic exercises but opportunities for creative expression and ongoing improvement.

Conclusion

Renwick’s article underscores the importance of making reading a social, interactive experience in the classroom. Whether through digital platforms, shared journals, or multimedia projects, giving students authentic opportunities to respond to reading can deepen their engagement and enhance their learning. The ultimate goal is to create a reading environment where students feel motivated to share and reflect on their reading in ways that are meaningful and relevant to them.

Original Article

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Prepared with the assistance of AI software

OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (4) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com