Setting Goals for Independent Reading

Teachers

• Goal 1: Provide 20-30 minutes of daily independent reading in class.
• Goal 2: Match students to books they can read and enjoy.
• Goal 3: Meet regularly with students to compliment strengths, coach into skills, and set goals for growth.
• Goal 4: Keep records to track and monitor student progress.

Students

• Goal 1: Read a lot! (Class and home)
• Goal 2: Read books that you love! (near your level)
• Goal 3: Practice reading skills! (learned in class)
• Goal 4: Keep track of your thinking! (and growth)

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Here’s how you can help support independent reading at home

Great Questions to Ask your Child

About Reading

• “What time are you going to do your reading tonight?”
• “What are you enjoying about your book?”
• “Would you like a new book?”
• “Show me an example of something you wrote about your reading in class.”
• “Give me an example of something you are learning in reading class.”

About characters

• “What kind of person is (Character)?”
• “How is (character) changing?”
• “How does (character 1) affect (character 2)?

About themes

• “What do you think the (object) symbolizes?”
• “What has (character) learned in this book?”
• “What ideas about life are brought up in this book?”

About conflict and setting

• “What problems is (character) experiencing right now?”
• “What is the setting and why is it important?”
• “Why is this moment/scene important?”

Great answers to hear from your child

About reading

• 20-30 minutes in a quiet environment.
• Enjoys the book they reading (Interesting, not too hard/too easy).
• Visit the library or bookstore.
• Can show you writing about reading from their post-it notes or reading notebook.
• Can give you an example of what they are learning in reading class.

About characters

• Identifies character traits.
• Can talk about the relationships between characters.  
• Identifies a change in character’s thoughts, feelings, traits, or actions.
• Compares present traits to past traits.

About themes

• Has an idea of what an object or symbol means and can explain why.
• Can identify lessons that can be learned from the book.
• Can identify social issues in the book similar to those in real life.

About conflict and setting

• Can talk about more than one problem in the story.
• Can describe where and when the story takes place and how it affects the characters.
• Can make connections between causes and effects to understand why the scene matters in the story.