FVR: just do it

Free Voluntary Reading

My hesitations

The implementation of FVR in the second+ language classroom seems to be en vogue while its counterpart, SSR (Silent Sustained Reading), seems to be exiting schools. I was skeptical about FVR in my Spanish classroom because I saw several failed SSR programs in public schools. Kids didn't like reading any more than before and teachers hated monitoring the students not reading.

Why I started

I believed class novels and story telling helped my students acquire Spanish. This didn't help them remember Spanish for a test, but facilitated language acquisition. We read 90% of all class periods; even if it was brief. I read books to my own children at home. I encouraged my young son to read what he could. I bought him leveled "beginner reader" books and loved watching him read.

My Spanish students enjoyed stories and most of the time enjoyed reading stories in class. I read chapters of our novels, they read to each other, they read silently. My students even commented how cool it was they could read like a real book in Spanish. Some read ahead because they were hooked.

WHY DIDN'T I TRUST THEM TO READ WITHOUT ME THERE!? They were already reading ahead in class and spoiling all my plans! (This is the light bulb moment.)

I did a little more digging and read this article by Krashen. Okay, fine, I will "do" FVR in class.

My Implementation

I had the research to back-up the why I decided to implement FVR. Now I had to set a goal and make a plan to reach that goal.

Goal

For students to read in Spanish for a consistent amount of time. 

For students to develop a confidence in their ability to understand and figure out Spanish.

For students to enjoy a story line. 

For students to be reflective and inquisitive.

Every Tuesday or Wednesday (we are an every other day schedule) we read for the first ten minutes of class. They come in, grab their folders, check where they left off, and grab their reading material.

Don't be like me: do better

I failed the first few times we (class and myself) attempted FVR. My biggest fails were: inconsistent opportunities to read, making FVR a "fast finisher" activity, not reading (myself) during FVR, starting at 10 minutes right away.

I believe it was Mike Peto that said "give them less than they can handle". The whole concept is to build up to whatever time frame you have dubbed as ideal. If the class can handle five minutes, give them three. If they can read for seven minutes, give them five. Leave them wanting more. My note is also that the beginning of books is boring; especially when language is limited. It's all character introduction and setting... yawn.

FVR was inconsistent in my classroom which devalued the opportunity. I felt like we were "behind" and they needed to complete X from the last class. I would push back FVR to accommodate my planning schedule. WRONG. Pick a day, do it that day, no exceptions.

I also wasn't reading because I was worried about the kids not reading. It sucked the fun out of the time. AND if reading is so "great" and wonderful for language learning, why wasn't the teacher doing it too? I bought myself books I wanted to read and I sat down and read. Lead by example.

My library

Set-up

I have sample pages and covers copied and posted on the walls in my room. Students can sample the book and see at what level it is written. Laurie Clarcq said at the CIIA 18 conference that a student should really look at chapter four of a book to see if it is too complex in story line or language. I have no reason to not believe nor disagree with her, so my sample pages are near chapter four.

I use washi tape to mark easy books, advanced books, and a book
series. All the codes are on the sampler pages. The sampler pages are also grouped by "difficulty" level. I will eventually be marking these with approximate Novice-Mid type labels. I think this will help kids reflect on their abilities.

Where did all these books come from?

Over 95% of my FVR books are mine. I drink wine and shop on Amazon. Oops.

That said, DonorsChoose is a great way to secure funding. Grants are always an option. I also made a "Leave a legacy" form for conferences. When parents see that a book is between $5 and $10, they are often willing to buy one for the class. Parents can purchase a book and send it to the school; sometimes I share a link to my Amazon wishlist of books. Inside the book I put a sticker that says "THIS SCHOOL'S book is brought to you in honor of ___________________."

I also subscribe to Martina Bex's El mundo en tus manos. It is worth every penny. There is a weekly and biweekly subscription option. (More on this to come.)

BUT DID THEY READ!?

I don't always know that they did read. I am reading so there is a chance some of them don't read.

Yes, I do give redirections like, "Reading time is quiet time." "If you aren't going to read, at least stare at the page and act like it." Kids will read something during this time. I can't control them but I can control me and my reading.

Quick summaries

I have students write the date, title, and page numbers/range on a paper. I ask them to write a super quick summary of what they read so next time they can review quickly and either grab the same material or something new.

I check in with students and ask how the books are going. I tell them how much I loved that story and ask if they've gotten to a good part yet (vague hints of who does what). I very rarely read in depth what students write.

Book reviews

I have a form that students complete when they finish a book. They rate the book and I hang it up on the wall. Sometimes I even type up the reviews and send them to authors. If I have enough reviews of the same book, my goal is to start posting their reviews here. This was our class/my review of Juliana.

FVR Resources

Mike Peto has many resources on effectively using FVR in classrooms, starting FVR, and student accountability. Here is the link to his page with his FVR resources.

IWLA's very own Allison Wienhold at Mis Clases Locas has a helpful blog entry about what FVR looks like in her classes. It also has links to her library tour and hints for grant writing.

Martina Bex at the Comprehensible Classroom has a short entry with a link to her TpT for "accountability" forms to help guide FVR. The forms are around $2 and are structured for different types of books. This is important to remember that your whole library doesn't need to be (nor should be in my opinion) all novels.