“Team Read is keeping students active and engaged in reading this year with literacy games, reading challenges, and fun surprises over the next few months. March was Game Month at our online sites. Students and coaches practiced their literacy skills in exciting new ways. Team Read Tic-Tac-Toe challenged students to answer comprehension questions about the books they read in order to earn an X or O on the gameboard.
“I love tic-tac-toe!” exclaimed Marie, one of our second-grade students. She and her reading coach played the game at a recent session.
“The March reading games are another way to engage the reader in comprehension strategies. Playing the games extends student understanding of the words and concepts inside a book.” said Team Read Director of Organizational Expansion, Judy Margrath.
Reading pairs also played Picture It, where coaches hid the pictures in a book and challenged students to describe possible pictures using only the text. Picture It encourages students to draw their own conclusions about book subjects and themes.
In April, Team Read will introduce poems into our daily reading time, encouraging students to build fluency, gain confidence, and practice reading aloud to a group. The last week of April will be our Poetry Slam where students will showcase all their reading practice from the month.
Team Read is also hosting theme days at our tutoring sites in April. Students are encouraged to bring their favorite stuffed animals and read with them during their online tutoring sessions. Students will also be allowed to bring their favorite books to read with coaches, and things will get a little silly on Crazy Hat Day and another session where we’ll Wear Read from Toes to Head.
May is devoted to our annual read-a-thon where students will be challenged to track their reading over the course of the month. Sites will compete to read as many books as possible, and prizes will be rewarded to our super readers.
We know that reading fluently brings joy — which is a powerful catalyst to curiosity, exploration, and all kinds of learning. We also know Zoom fatigue is real and many young readers are struggling to stay focused, especially after a long day of remote or hybrid learning. That’s why Team Read’s goal is to make our tutoring sessions even more engaging and fun as we head into spring!