Reading is the key to learning, and my students need improved reading skills. They will improve if they do more independent reading, and the boys need more manga books to encourage them to read on their own. They need something fun to read so they will choose to read at home.
My 6th, 7th, and 8th graders live in the rural south, miles from town, in poor or lower middle class minority families.
63% of students get free or reduced price lunches. School is the only place that most students can get books. Many of my students never see an adult read, except at school. They come from homes that have no books and limited or no Internet access. Many of my students and their families do not connect the importance of reading to their future success. The boys do know about Naruto and Dragon Ball Z from computer games and television, but manga books are new to them. They are thrilled to see the few manga books I have, and they have asked for more. Due to budget cuts, this year I have no budget at all to run my school library for my 450 students. Over 50 of the boys still struggle with reading and are not reading on grade level. They need independent reading in addition to their reading time at school, and manga novels will give them motivation to read every day.
My Project
I know my students will read these books, because the boys are already asking me if I can get more manga! I have a handful of manga novels, and the boys fight over them. Boys will grab a Dragon Ball Z book and read it in a day. After a student has read 20 or 30 manga books, he has established a pattern of carrying a book home and reading in his free time, and he is willing to try other books that I suggest. For struggling readers, these books appear mature and interesting, and they are not embarrassed when their peers see them with a manga book. These popular manga novels give students practice in reading, vocabulary, phonics, spelling, and punctuation. They learn great vocabulary words like betray, eventually, drought, and hydrangea! They build reading and vocabulary skills. These boys need much more reading practice than we can accomplish during the school day. By providing books that boys will read in their free time, I increase the amount of time they spend reading and learning.
Every student needs to read well to have a successful future.
Manga appeals to these young men and will capture their interest, so that they will voluntarily spend more time reading, sounding out, and deciphering the written word. And they will all have fun! We all learn more when we enjoy what we are learning. Thank you for helping us.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Shaffer and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.