Reading Rewards and Student Reflections

I recently learned of a very simple and free online reading program called Reading Rewards. Reading Rewards is an online reading log and reading incentive program for students of all ages. Students log in to their personal account from home or school and simply enter in the book name and amount of time they spent reading each day. As the amount of time they spend reading grows, students earn miles that can be spent to purchase real, customized rewards created by the teacher. In addition to logging reading time and earning points for incentives, students also engage in comprehension by blogging and discussing about the books they are reading. For a more complete overview of Reading Rewards, watch the video below for more detailed overview of Reading Rewards.



5 Steps to Great Student Reflections 

1. Model, Model, Model: For students that are new to blogging - model, model, model. No matter the age level, conduct several mini-lessons in which you are modeling how to write a detailed book review and response that will engage the reader and lead them to want to read the same book.

2. Discuss appropriate and inappropriate responses to other's reviews. For example, appropriate responses may include thought provoking questions that lead to a deeper understanding of the book, or comparisons between two books. Inappropriate responses may include "I want to read that book", or "That is a cool book". You may consider allowing students free reign in the blog without instruction for a few days. Then, print out a portion of the transcript and ask students to highlight appropriate and inappropriate responses in different colors.

3. Lead the Students by posting a discussion or reflection type question every so often. The wonderful part of blogging is that we can encourage students to be self-directed learners as they express themselves through reflections. However, we all need a starting place at times. For example, post a discussion statement such as "Imagine you were the main character in the story and you had a superpower. What would your superpower be and why?"

4. Connect Discussions to Standards: Ask students to create reviews that correlate to the comprehension standards being taught in class. These reflections could be used as an informal assessment of student's knowledge of the text and how to interact with it.

5. Encourage Student Writing by being ever-present within the blog. Although the discussion is primarily between student peers, the teacher's presence within the blog will hold students accountable to writing appropriate and thoughtful responses, as well as provide validation for students in their writing. Point out well written responses and insightful statements.

Student blogging through Reading Rewards holds the potential for your students to use 21st century skills of creating, collaborating, thinking critically, and communicating with each other. By guiding students through this process, they will be better prepared to interact appropriately and educationally online.