My students are caring and really want to do well at school. Even though learning can be more challenging for some students with disabilities, my students work hard and are there for each other. My favorite quote of the year was when one student turned to another student and said, "You can do it! I believe in you." Another student then piped in with "Good job (student's name)." I love giving these kiddos the opportunity to love learning and love school!
My Project
I work with students with disabilities who are in fourth and fifth grade integrated classrooms, but reading at a first to second grade reading level. Many of the books these kids have access to are not of interest to them, and do not look like books other kids in the class are reading. Unfortunately, reading becomes an area of frustration, and some of these kids have lost the love of reading.
I want to bring back their love of reading and show them that they can read high interest books on their own.
My students love to listen to online books and share what they have learned. I want them to experience reading a book and talking with a classmate about what made it so good! The books I selected look like books any 4th and 5th grader would love to read. For example, two of the boys I work with are very interested in sports, so I chose some sports books. I also have students that come from difficult home lives, so I chose some books with themes they can relate to. These books are at a reading level that will give my students access to interesting stories and information they can discover on their own by applying their reading skills.
Too often, my students are given books that they have already read or that look "like baby books" as they say. I want to build a library of books that my students will love to explore and learn from. Our school is building in a new language arts program for the upcoming school year that builds in choice reading. With these books, my students will feel confident and excited joining their classmates in the room during the reading time, with books they would be eager to show off!
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