TEN HOT TIPS FROM THE 70TH MICHIGAN READING ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE (Part 1 of 4)

Three exciting days!

Check-in time at the DoubleTree (Hilton) in Lansing, Michigan, was 3:00 pm. When I arrived at 2:30 pm, the three lines in front of the desk were already curved and were now past the lobby area and down the hall. Several times, I heard someone at the desk say, "I'm sorry, the hotel is fully booked." Forty minutes later, I was finally in my room, ready to navigate the journey to the conference registration desk. Registration was a breeze!

Hot Reading Tip 1: Round Robin Reading does not work. Why? It automatically excludes too many readers. Reading should be as inclusive as possible, and selecting readers robs others of the opportunity to read and lets reluctant readers off the hook. Solution - paired reading. Paired reading fosters more accountability among readers. Another solution - Group Reading!

Hot Reading Tip 2: Group reading can be the most inclusive strategy. In groups of five, assign a captain, recorder, reporter, supply person, and marshall. Only the captain speaks to the teacher. The captain decides who reads next. The recorder keeps notes for the reporter, who provides a summary to the class. This strategy keeps all readers engaged. Stay tuned for Part 2 (tips 3 and 4 from the conference)!