The best thing for reading is making sure the students have good books and that they read and read and reflect on what they read.
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TheBestChildrensBooks
A study from WestEd on the impact of audio books on vocabulary development, comprehension, and
reading achievement of second and third graders in San Francisco showed astonishing growth. For 10
weeks, students listened to audio books, without following along with the text, three times per
week for 20 minutes in school and two more times for 20 minutes at home. The treatment group grew
by 58 percent of the annual expected gains in reading achievement. It also outperformed the control
group by three times in reading comprehension seven times in vocabulary, and four times in reading
motivation. (Flynn, Matlen, Atienza & Schneider, 2016). Listening to audio books also led to kids reading more. Stunning
results, with positive implications for striving (struggling) readers and their
motivation to read.
Here are some great resources for reliable sites:
www.storylineonline.net
This resource is from the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of
Television and Radio Artists. This site provides opportunities for children,
parents, and educators to listen to classic children's stories read by professional
actors. The collection includes over 30 books by authors such a Patricia Polocco,
Tomie DePaola, Mem Fox and Ysaye Barnwell, and read by actors including James
Earl Jones, Allison Janney, and Hector Elizondo.
Another good resource is podcasts for kids....it has more than a lifetime's worth of
material, but this list from NPR has a lot of really great choices:
www.npr.org/podcasts/2036/kids-family