4 Ways to Foster a Love of Reading in Middle School

“My students hate reading.” I hear this all the time from middle school teachers, and I’ve been in their shoes, saying the same thing. My students used to pretend to read our class novel (AKA try to hide their phones behind their books) and would frequently fall asleep mid-chapter. It was annoying, and honestly, I didn’t know what to do about it for a long time. After lots of trial and error, and reading PD books like The Book Whisperer, I found a few strategies that helped foster a love of reading and turned teeth-pulling reading sessions into lively classroom discussions.

How to Foster a Love of Reading in the Classroom

I’m going to start with the obvious: every student and classroom is different. That means you’ll have some students who jump on board right away, and others who take months to finally come around. These strategies aren’t about delivering perfect results, but rather, getting as many students on board as you can.

Here’s what worked really well for my students, and that I’ve seen help other teachers foster a love of reading as well –

#1 Student Choice (with Book Clubs)

I know I’m not the first person to talk about the “power” of student choice. But when it comes to reading, it definitely works. It’s hard to care about reading when you hate a book. I’m sure you’ve been there.

But how do you balance all your students’ unique interests? The answer is book clubs. There are lots of different book club formats. You can host them similarly to literature circles, put students into groups based on their book preference, put students into groups based on genre, and more.

The goal is that by offering choice and pairing students with their peers, you can foster a love of reading because students get to select a novel they’re interested in. They also get to take charge of their reading and interact with their classmates, which can boost interest and engagement. 

I have an entire workshop dedicated to book clubs! I’ll break down exactly how book clubs work, fitting them into your limited classroom, setting expectations with students, managing behavior, and more. 

#2 Socratic Seminar

If you’re reading discussions ever feel like you’re pulling teeth… Or if you’re doing more talking than your students… This one is for you. Socratic Seminar was a game changer in my classroom. When I removed myself as the “leader” of classroom discussions, students were forced to interact with each other, and the conversations took turns I’d never expected (in a good way).

Socratic Seminar can help you foster a love of reading because students get excited about what’s being read in class. It’s like when your friend hypes up a book they just finished. Or when you talk about a crazy twist in a TV show you watched. It gets you fired up. Students love to share their thoughts about the novels. If they were struggling to enjoy the book previously, these conversations can pique their interest.

In my Middle School Reading Achievement curriculum, Socratic Seminar is built in (along with book clubs). I offer suggested guided questions and tips for when to break out into Socratic Seminar during the lessons and units.

#3 Independent Reading

When your students hate reading, you might avoid independent reading like the plague. It feels like more of a headache than anything. But it might be how you’re pushing independent reading that could lead students to hate reading.

It’s time to ditch the reading logs and formal check-ins. Instead, try using more informal strategies like status of the class. With this strategy, you’ll casually track students’ progress through their novels and determine which students need a 1:1 chat. For example, a student might have only read five pages in a week. Instead of pushing them to read more, chat about why. Are they enjoying the book? Do they need help finding something new? This encourages a love of reading, as opposed to punishing students for not reading and making it feel like a chore.

I share exactly how to implement independent reading in my workshop, The Independent Reading Reset. I’ll chat through it all, including how to find time for independent reading (even if you only have 45-minute classes), how to foster a love of reading, how to manage behavior and more.

#4 Reading Conferences

It might seem counterintuitive, but reading conferences can actually help foster a love of reading. The key is to take away the pressure for both you and your students. Instead of formal sit-down conferences, these conferences are conversations between you and your students about what they are reading, whether it’s an independent reading novel or the class book. 

I like to use Donalyn Miller’s Golden Gate Bridge Method for conferences. Instead of trying to rush through a specific number of students or ask specific questions, you simply meet with however many students you can. You’ll pick up wherever you leave off the next day. During these conversations, I like to celebrate reading wins with students (whether it’s finishing a page, chapter, or book), help students find their next read, and answer any questions they might have (especially if meeting about the class novel). 

Middle School Reading Curriculum

When I designed the Middle School Reading Achievement Collection, I wanted a curriculum where strategies like independent reading and book clubs were built in. Reading is more than just teaching the standards. When students are excited to read, your lessons run more smoothly and they remember more.
I’ve done all the work for you! The Middle School Reading Achievement Collection includes six comprehensive reading units with all the resources, lesson plans, activities, teacher slides, and more that you need to effectively teach, without spending hours on prep.