Extra, Extra Read All About It!

Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.

When is a smile not just a smile? When that smile is on the face of a student who loves what they are reading. Nothing is better than seeing a student's face light up when they enjoy and are excited about reading.

I teach 4th grade in a Title One school. My students live in an urban area and most are on free and reduced lunch. Many of my students have never traveled outside of the area they currently live in and lack background knowledge about their world and current events. In both of the reading classes I teach, frequently my students start the year with below grade level reading and comprehension levels. My goal is to help broaden my students’ understanding of their world and teach current events while also building their reading skills. Bringing Time for Kids magazines into both of my reading classes will mean that my students are able to read meaningful and EXCITING articles about current events while gaining important reading skills, obtaining background knowledge, and learning new information about their world.

I have observed that my students do not fully understand what they read because they lack the necessary background knowledge and have little knowledge of current events. Imagine trying to read an article about The Plight of Deep Sea Fishing, but you have never seen the ocean, a fishing pole, or bait. Research shows that students who are able to read meaningful texts that engage them in understanding the world around them increase their reading comprehension and build vocabulary. Researchers have also discovered that children that are given meaningful articles that engage them not only develop a love of reading, but also will retain the information they have read and obtain critical thinking skills. Time for Kids weekly magazines colorful pictures and rich articles would allow my students to engage in relevant and exciting classroom discussions. This magazine would empower my students to transition from students that learn from reading into students that read to learn. My students will be able to discover more about their world while being engaged in meaningful on level reading, which will lead them to future success.

You can put a smile on a child’s face and help ignite their love of reading. Time for Kids Magazines will have my students shouting out, “I can’t wait to read all about it!”