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Implementing a Reading Nook
One of the essential parts of an elementary school classroom is a reading nook, or a place where students can go to read by themselves. Here are guidelines for implementing a reading nook.
- Locate your reading nook in a corner of the room that seems like a vacation spot for the students. This will make using the reading nook seem like fun.
- Put only a select number of books (about 20-25) in the reading nook. Rotate them as what you are teaching changes so the books are always new. This will ensure the relevance of the reading nook, and will not result in the students becoming bored with the same old books.
- Use decorations to make the reading nook attractive and inviting. However, limit the amount of decorations so that they do not become distractors.
- Put pillows, chairs, a comfortable rug, or other things for students to sit on or lean against in the reading nook. The goal is for students to be comfortable as they read.
- Have a stack of bookmarks available in your reading nook so students can resume reading a book from where they left off. Have each student write his or her name on the bookmark they are using. This will avoid confusion when more than one student is reading the same book.
- Only let a few students use the reading nook at a given time. This will make your reading nook seem special and keep noise to a minimum.
A reading nook is a great place for students who finish work early, or who want to read in a more comfortable location, or who don’t generally like to read.