Melissa Hawkins-Plan for and Monitor Independent Reading/Make Assessment Instruction's Working Partner

I must admit that I struggle in this area of creating a good independent reading program.  I am trying to establish a good reading program for my students where we can fit in more independent reading and also small-group guided reading while trying to teach comprehension strategies which my students desperately need.  But while implementing an independent reading time frame, how do you really know if every student is reading and comprehending what they read?  I was happy to read in this chapter the differences between Sustained Silent Reading and Independent Reading.  I have been having my students read in Sustained Silent Reading but I will incorporate Independent Reading and use the strategies listed in the book to monitor student comprehension by asking the right questions during teacher conferencing.
Students need time to read but they also need to know how to make choices that are best for them.  Students need to:
-be matched with a book.
-read a text they enjoy.
-practice and try out strategies that are demonstrated and worked on in class.
-be monitored , assessed, and evaluated on the books they are reading.
-be taught strategies and how to apply them to problem solve and read independently.
-set and work on goals to further improve their reading competency.
Students that use these strategies are more likely to become better readers and are better able to comprehend what they read.
Incorporating independent reading programs are essential to a successful independent reading instructional program.  A successful reading program is fun for students and they love reading what they are interested in.  A successful independent reading program has the following components:
-a well-designed and well-stocked classroom library.
-sustained time each day in which to read.
-"Just-right" books.
-An array of genres.
-Time for sharing and book talks.
-One-to-one student-teacher conferences.
-well-maintained reading records.
-procedures that have been developed in connection with the students, then modeled and understood, and that are followed by everyone.
The teacher needs to set up classroom procedures and have students use strategies when they are reading that have been discussed as a class.
Chapter Seven gives teachers guidelines for assessments that work for the teacher and the student.  I will be incorporating questions provided to use when I want to know student understanding.  The framework provided for an informal reading conference student reading goals will be very beneficial to a teacher that needs to know how to guide student conferences to assess for understanding.

-