Teaching Readers Responsively: Centring Reading Identity, Engagement, and Motivation

A student’s sense of reading identity, their level of engagement while reading, and their motivation to read, all impact how they relate to reading instruction and their ability to transfer that instruction into independence. Teachers know this intuitively, but what does it mean in practice to center reading identity? It means that in order to teach students effectively, we need to know them as readers. It also means that in order for students to grow as readers, they need to know themselves. This session starts with a description of reading identity, the five aspects of reading identity, and the research behind each aspect. Hannah will share multiple ways that teachers can uncover students’ reading identities and ways that students can get to know themselves. She will share strategies for putting this data into action, so that all students can thrive as readers. Teachers will learn about affirming positive identities and supporting students with negative reading identities, as well as assessing and teaching engagement and motivation, which often seem like vague and elusive concepts. Teachers will leave this session with practical tools they can use in their classrooms immediately.