Books Don’t Make Literate Citizens

It’s no secret that I love books. As a teacher, whenever someone offered to donate items to my classroom I almost always said books. As a mother, the first items I purchased for my baby girl were cute clothes and of course books. She was going to be stylish and smart, even though she didn’t have any of the items that would keep her alive, healthy and safe! All kidding aside, my love for books made me start to think about how books are only the beginning on the war with illiteracy in our nation.

You see, you can throw a book at a child and expect them to read but it’s not a fool proof plan. Just because a child has a book doesn’t mean they will or can read it. Just because they can read it doesn’t mean they comprehend it. And just because they comprehend it doesn’t mean they are literate.

It takes conversations upon conversations about the written word to help a child become literate- to read and to write in their native language. If a child is solely reading because kind citizens are donating books to them is nothing more than a sweet gesture. Of course, its better than nothing. But, we are no closer to becoming a more literate nation with this approach.

Kids are tested A LOT when it comes to reading. How fast can they read? Can they decode? Do they recognize sight words? Are they comprehending at the deepest of levels? The books nor tests are producing literate citizens.

Its the job of us educators to not just teach children the art of reading but to engage them often in conversations centered around the written word so that they can begin to truly understand the use of their native language and all the possibilities that come along with the gift of language proficiency.

Create Literate Citizens with Reading

• Word Choice– When reading, it’s important to point out vocabulary that the author choses to use. Discussing the meaning of words helps build students’ vocabulary as they realize there is more than one way to convey an idea. The fun part of reading a book is the word choice, especially if there is a rhythm or rhyme. But more importantly, reading books by various authors helps students gain exposure to different styles of writing. Focusing on the magnificence of a single word builds interest in reading.
• The Art of Storytelling– Pointing out the way a story is told helps students build a recipe or formula for how to engage in their own oral or written storytelling experience. Taking notice of how the author chose to tell a story in sequence and point of view in order to make reading enjoyable teaches students how to organize and tell their thoughts in an intriguing way.
• Themes/Morals– Moving beyond the storyline of a book by discussing the message behind it is just as important as the storyline itself. Students need to think deeply about what they are reading and move beyond the surface level. Analyzing themes across different texts or discussing potential morals of a singular story with peers builds cognitive power and muscle.
• Character Development– How a character changes throughout a story is a testimony to the strength of an author. Keeping track of a character’s traits and behaviors while reading increases a student’s ability to use a fine tooth comb when reading. The reflection and digging required to pick up on these nuances fine tunes the reader’s eye.
• Predictions & Inferences– Although making predictions might seem elementary, the simple process requires the reader to build on their own background knowledge while adding in meaning from the new text to make an accurate prediction- one that is plausible and rational based on the circumstances. Inferencing is a higher order skill that a careful reader who notices the details and takes time to reflect will gain. It requires perseverance while reading at the same time thoughtful pause to take in all that the author is and isn’t saying.
• Illustration References– A simple picture can be worth many words. Looking at pictures is not just for the young, but for the more avid of readers. Many times authors do not write what is available to perceive through an illustration. A reader has to stop and smell the roses while they read to ensure they haven’t left any stone unturned.

Create Literate Citizens with Writing

• Word Choice– Just like when reading, word choice is important to a writer as simple nuances of meanings can make the difference in what the writer is trying to convey to their audience. By pointing out word choice during reading, students begin to develop a repertoire of vocabulary to pull from when putting their own thoughts on paper.
• Point of View– Connecting with an audience helps build reading fans. In order to connect with an audience, the writer must think of the reader’s point of view and write in a way that helps the reader think and feel in agreement with the author. It’s important to write from a multitude of perspectives on the same topic to develop the art of point of view.
• Professional vs Personal Style– Writing for a variety of purposes is what sets apart literate citizens from those who can simply read and write. There are many reasons students need to write and being able to change between personal and professional style is important. Teachers must set up opportunities for students to write informally like journal entries and exit tickets to more formal assignments like research papers and resume cover letters. This potpourri of style ensures the tool belt of a writer is highly developed.
• Research– Conveying a message in the written word is only part of what makes a literate citizen. Being able to support a thought or idea is what cements those skills. Learning how to locate evidence to support  a thought and then weave it into a commentary is a higher order skill that takes lots of practice. Students need to see the value in standing up for their opinion through factual evidence so that they can then find the motivation to write a thorough research report.
• Author’s Purpose– An author conveys messages to their readers for a variety of purposes- inform, persuade, entertain and explain. Developing writing skills in a variety of formats strengthens one’s ability to be successful as a writer.
  • When writing an informational article, students need to write in a professional tone with factual information conveyed in a clear manner.
  • When writing a persuasive argument, a writer needs to think about their audience and write in a way that they can connect, whether it be in tone, style or word choice.
  • When writing to entertain, the author can have fun and mix up their style as long as they take the reader on a journey of enjoyment.
  • When writing to explain, the writer has to be clear and concise, most often relying on organizational writing elements like a bulleted list or sequential steps to follow.
• Thorough Planning– It’s important for any writer to plan before they begin to write. This helps them think from the big picture of what they want the reader to walk away knowing and then to drill down to the order and organization of the sections within the written piece. Planning backwards and in detail ensures the writer knows their pathway before beginning to put pen to paper. It helps avoid unrelated ideas from entering the piece and ensures the author has a laser focus to provide a clear message for the reader.

As you can see, without proper instruction and discussion around reading and writing, we cannot build a brighter future of literate citizens. It takes deliberate actions beyond donations of books to help our children gain the skills necessary to converse orally and in written form in their native language.

How do you create literate citizens in your classroom?

About the author, Gretchen

I am a teacher trainer and coach. Working elbow to elbow with teachers and teacher leaders to ensure instructional proficiency and student achievement soar lights me up. We have a real need in our nation for strong educators to remain in the field. My blog, book, podcast, courses and instructional materials are geared towards empowering teachers (and those that lead them) to receive the support needed to grow and thrive today, tomorrow and always.

• Links:
• Twitter
• Website
• Google +
• Facebook