I don't know about you, but I want my students to be reading goal setters!

Why Set Reading Goals?

Great question!  Setting reading goals helps students.

• Read with intention and purpose
• Practice a specific reading skill
• Become reflective thinkers
• Develop a clearer understanding of reading
• Build confidence as readers
• Feel a sense of accomplishment

5 Steps to Setting Reading Goals

1. Think about how you can help students become self-reflective on what they are good at as readers and what they need to work on.
2. Help readers think deeply about what they would like to improve on next.
3. Invite students into a class discussion about setting goals.
   • Use a favorite picture book to start the conversation!
   • Here are few good books for introducing reading goals:
   • Thank You Mr. Falker  by Patricia Polacco
   • The Junkyard Wonders by Patricia  Polacco
   • Miss Malarkey Leaves No Reader Behind by Judy Finchler
   • This School Year Will Be the BEST! by Renee Andriana
   • Leo the Late Bloomer by Jose Aruego
4. After the discussion, introduce the Reading Goal Setter form and have students complete this on their own.
5. As they are working on writing out their goals, you can even have them do a quick video recording, articulating and documenting their goals!  Display goals clearly as a daily reminder.

What happens next?

1. Take a look at each student's reading goals from the Reading Goal Setter form.
2. Compare their goals with the data you have collected on them as readers.
3. Form a plan of instruction to support students in their reading goals.  This could look like many things, including…
   • Create small groups based of goals.
   • Partner students up with similar goals.
   • Create a literature circle around a similar goal.
   • Develop clear guided reading lesson based on your students goals.
   • Create opportunities for students to discuss their goals and how they feel they're doing.

I hope you found this post helpful.  Don't forget to download the free Reading Goal Setter form.

For more literacy resources, visit jenbengel.com

Happy Teaching!

Jen