by Raven Lebeau

Created on: November 12, 2008   Last Updated: December 23, 2008

In order to develop reading and writing skills, students need to practice these skills often. Ideally, people would be able to stay motivated, even when doing tasks they do not find enjoyable. In the real world, however, people of any age will gravitate toward things they enjoy and spend as little time as possible on other things. Hence, for students to become excellent readers and writers, they must have at least some appreciation for these activities. Getting students to enjoy reading and writing requires two key components in one's teaching philosophy. Those two things are variety and respect, and they go hand-in-hand.

Of course all teachers are constrained to at least some extend by standard curriculum. However, not all students will benefit from the same reading materials and writing assignments. Students asked to read materials they find boring or books they actively dislike will often skip assignments, and if fed a steady diet of unappetizing reading, they may turn away from books altogether. In order to avoid such negative consequences, teachers need to respect students' differences and select a variety of reading materials. No one assignment will interest everyone, but hopefully each student will see that there are some written materials that have value for him or her.

Teachers understandably have a list of favorite books and stories. People who choose to become English teachers often do so because they enjoyed the literature presented as standard curriculum. However, to keep students engaged, teachers need to pay attention to the topics catching students' attention. Comic books (or "graphic novels"), popular novels, and books based on TV series or movies all provide opportunities for students to read. Teachers may feel such materials are not as educational as the usual "classics," however a book is only educational if a student chooses to read it! Assigning materials that students will not read accomplishes nothing. By respecting students' interests and choosing materials with those interests in mind, teachers will have more success in encouraging students to practice their reading.

Any book can be used as a springboard for teaching vocabulary, literary terminology, critical thinking, and creative writing. Teachers can easily read the books their students enjoy and create vocabulary lists and writing exercises based on those books. Sites like fanfiction.net encourage creative writing based on popular books, television shows, movies, and games. Students

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