Volume of reading as a practice to improve reading in children

Reading Education: How much is enough?

In general, the conclusions regarding research about current student's reading education are that students do not read enough, either in class or on their own. But given this accepted truism, that students are not reading up to standard, the second question is what must teachers do inside the classrooms to ensure that students are reading adequate amounts of literature. Also, does mere volume ensure that students are meeting grade-level reading proficiency standards?

In the second chapter of his text, What Really Matters for Struggling Readers: Designing Research-Based Programs Richard Allington emphasizes the need for more in-school reading, noting evidence indicating that increased reading volume raises the level of reading proficiency (Allington, p.24). There is a strong correlation between later academic excellence and sheer reading volume, he states. "The classic study was conducted by Anderson, Wilson and Fielding (1988). In this study, fifth-grade students kept reading logs documenting their out-of-school reading. Again, the findings illustrated the enormous differences in volume of reading between higher- and lower-achieving students." (Quoted from by Richard L. Allington, p. 26) Even students who were not necessarily quality readers still benefited from being quantity readers.

Allington thus argues that any successful restructuring of reading comprehension instruction must include increased reading volume, which means stressing increased reading across the disciplines, not merely adding a few extra minutes of reading education to an already crowded day. Reading is necessary during uninterrupted blocks of time during the school day, of course, but also can be incorporated across the curriculum. Reading is not simply an English literature and language discipline, particularly in the younger grades. Rather, it should be integrated into all facets of classroom activity, from musical choral singing that uses texts as its basis, to encouraging student self-expression. He especially bridles at Reading Excellence Act (REA) that stresses the specific skill-based approach to reading that tends to isolate it as part of the curricula. "Much of the rhetoric and policy making that surrounds current efforts at 'reforming' American reading instruction is misguided" (Allington, p.2).

Allington elaborates on this point by suggesting in-class periods of Sustained Silent Reading are an important activity for all students, especially in elementary school grades. By ensuring students do read, even requiring them to do so during the school day, this sets good reading habits early on. Even having something for a classroom like a reading competition or a 'hundred book challenge' for every child, keeping in mind that the lower grade students will be reading shorter books, over a period of time may prove profitable.