Shells of Working Toward Reading Independence

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Independence

In order to foster independency in your students as far as reading, it can be helpful to give them time to work on their own. If a student persists in asking you to help, just say that you want them to try it on their own for awhile first. Otherwise the student will always depend on you and will not get to that level of independency. Teachers can use Piaget's Zone of Proximal Development and scaffold the instruction, by helping students understand as much of the text as they need in order to go on and move to the next level. Help your student with as much as he or she needs, then slowly and gradually let him or her branch out on their own.

Helping Students To Read On Their Own

In order to help students become more independent, it is best to tell them the assignment, and then give them some time to work on their own. They should feel free always to ask questions, but if the student is asking you questions every second, something is wrong. I have had students do this, and I just have to somehow get the student to at least make an attempt at the work or the reading material. Working with the student for a little while will help this along, but then after that tell the student to read alone and that maybe later you can work together again. This is very important to help the student gain his or her own reading independence.

To foster independence in student reading it can be helpful for them to be given more choices. For example, when assigning lessons or projects, let them choose from choices you give them which one they want to do. This also can be done with tests and essays.

Keep Piaget's Zone of Proximal Development and scaffolding in mind when fostering independence in your students. When helping them with their reading, teach them the new information, then allow them time to practice the skill on their own. Check back often, eventually weeding them off of the help from you, but being there if needed and to add guidance and assistance as necessary.