Today, we’re talking about one of my favorite topics- independent reading. And more specifically, how to make it work alongside your full-class novels.
It doesn’t matter if you’re new to lit circles or you’ve been using them for a while, this episode is full of tips and tricks for everyone
Highlights:
Use Independent Reading Time as a Daily Bellringer
Grab your ready-to-use collection of three engaging mini-units that dive into the worlds of dystopia, science fiction, and fantasy.
Each unit comes with genre introductions, discussion guides, and engaging projects like a dystopian society brochure, a sci-fi character analysis, and a hero’s journey exploration for fantasy. Plus, there are brand new Rate That Book activities to help students discover what they love to read!
You can find it by heading to my Teachers Pay Teachers shop, Samantha in Secondary, and searching for speculative fiction.
Transcripts
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[00:01:02] but here's the thing. Independent reading isn't something that has to replace full class novels or your entire curriculum. Instead, it can work with it making your students stronger readers and more engaged learners. I've talked about using literature circles alongside your regular curriculum a lot on this podcast, but today I'm detailing how exactly you can do that.
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[00:01:45] Tip number one, use independent reading time as a daily bell ringer. Let's talk about those first 10 to 15 minutes of class - the time when you're taking attendance, checking in on students, trying to get everyone settled. Meanwhile, someone singing in the corner, you can hear gum popping, there's talking, and it's just chaotic.
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[00:02:26] I always found that keeping high interest nonfiction and magazines on hand was the way to go. It's low commitment, but still engaging. It might take a little while to establish the habit if you haven't been doing it, but once it clicks -game changer, your students will get used to starting class with quiet reading time, and you'll get a few precious minutes to breathe while completing your housekeeping tasks.
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[00:03:09] There really are two ways to approach genre based literature circles. The first is to have students match their independent reading to your whole class unit. So if you're teaching a novel in verse, they choose a novel in verse for their independent reading. If your whole class novel is a mystery, they pick a mystery.
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[00:03:44] Students can analyze how different authors within the same genre approach things like character development, plot structure, or theme. For example. If you're reading Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds as a whole class a student might read the Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo for independent reading. Both are novels and verses, but they tackle different topics in different ways.
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[00:04:20] So instead of everyone reading of Mice and Men, for example, students might all be reading different historical fiction novels. This allows for student choice while still keeping a common thread in discussions. You can have students work in small groups with peers, reading similar books, leading discussions, making predictions, and analyzing literary elements together. No matter which approach you take,
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[00:04:58] And isn't that what it's all about? Tip number three, connect your novels through literary elements. One of the easiest and most effective ways to make independent reading work alongside full class novels is by tying them together through literary elements. For tip number three, we're going to look at how this works. Using literary elements as your unit anchor helps students see the connections between what they have read and what they choose to read, making both experiences more engaging and meaningful.
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[00:05:45] how are the main characters in both books similar or different? Do they face similar internal or external conflicts? How do their character arcs compare? For theme, what themes appear in both books? How do the authors develop these themes differently? Are there any surprising similarities? This strategy not only deepens students' understanding of literary concepts, but it also makes literary analysis more accessible and personal.
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[00:06:31] When students recognize that independent reading isn't just extra, but actually enhances their understanding of literature as a whole, they'll engage more deeply and develop the skills they need to think critically about any book they pick up in the future.
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[00:06:59] Here's just a few ideas. A character comparison using a character autopsy where students analyze a character's traits, motivations, and impact. Have students complete one for each of their main characters, and then compare. A comparative one-pager that visually represents the similarities and differences between two books. A comparison essay or discussion circle where students debate which book did something better, whether it's theme development, pacing, or character arcs.
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[00:07:44] Samantha: This is a big one. If students don't see independent reading as valuable, they won't take it seriously. That means you need to reinforce its importance by including it in your grading system. Give students creative ways to showcase what they've read like one pagers that visually capture themes and characters, character wordles, where they create a word cloud of words that represent a character, or book talks where they pitch their books to the class like a mini book commercial. When students know their independent reading counts, they're far more likely to engage with it. For tons of other creative project ideas, you can visit my website at www.samanthainsecondary.com and click on the projects icon.
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[00:08:42] Before we wrap up, I just wanna take a moment to say thank you. This marks the final episode of Season One of Creating Joyful Readers, and what an incredible journey it's been. This podcast started as a way to share my love of books, literacy strategies, and all the ways we can inspire students to become lifelong readers.
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[00:09:42] I will still be active and available in those spaces. Thank you so much for being part of this first season. It's been such a rewarding experience and I truly appreciate every listen, every message, and every moment you've spent here with me. I can't wait to come back in the future with even more episodes, more book recommendations, and more ways to create joyful readers in our classrooms.
