Reading Interview

This year I am teaching a Year 5/6 class which I am extremely excited about!  We have had 4 days together so far and I am amazed at the conversations, ideas and thoughts that have come out of our lessons.  We definitely hit the ground running.

One of the things I asked them to do for me last week was to complete a Reading Interview form.  This was so I could begin to piece together my readers as individuals but also as a class.   The idea came through via another post on my pinterest board and unfortunately I can't find the link back to it, but I shall update this once I find it!

I asked the kids to complete it while I read out each question and explained a bit more - if kids felt confident with the task they were to continue on with the questions by themselves.  This was a great way to structure it as my more confident students continued onwards without having to wait for others.

On reading the completed interviews I have learnt so many valuable things about my students as readers already:

• I have a large chunk of boys who love car books!
• The majority of my class are in to comedy books
• A lot of them do not like to read poetry
• The like to read outside in the shade or inside where it is quiet
• I have quite a few that don't read in their spare time
• Most are worried about reading aloud due to what they think people will say/do or think about their reading

This is just the start of a wealth of interesting and informative information that allows me to build up a picture of my readers.

I can use this information to inform how I approach their independent choices as part of reading time.  I'm going to need to do a lot of work in a range of genres this year to expand my students knowledge outside of their favourite genre.

I think I also really need to take on the outside world during silent reading and head out onto the field or under the trees or in our pod area for a few sessions during the week!

Here is a link to the Reading Interview and you are welcome to use it!