What to Say Instead of “Keep Reading” When Students Lose Focus During Class

In any good independent reading routine, teachers are providing at least some consistent time during class for students to read independently. Those ten or twenty minutes each class can be magical, and all teachers aspire to be in a room full of students who are completely engrossed in a novel they love. We all hope for complete engagement and enthusiasm everytime we say, “Ok, let’s get our books out!” But, unfortunately, reality is never so perfect. 

A more likely scenario is that some students will be thrilled every time you announce independent reading time, and other students will groan or roll their eyes. Some students will be glued to the pages of their books, and others will be looking at anything but their books. Some students will sit, enchanted, for as long a time as you provide, and others will doodle, whisper to friends, flip through their binders endlessly, ask to use the bathroom, and hardly crack open their novel.

This can be incredibly frustrating! All teachers desperately want every student to enjoy the magic of a good story. We also, desperately, want our students to become more experienced and advanced readers. After all, it’s our job! But, as the saying goes, you can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink. A sad but irrefutable truth is that we cannot force our students to become readers. We cannot even force them to read a few pages on any given day. 

And here is where I share a confession. I have not read a book in nearly three weeks. But I promise you, it is not for lack of trying. I’ve tried. I’ve moved this book all over the house and cracked it open many times. I’ve put reading on my to-do list, and I’ve set deadlines for myself, and yet, I haven’t read a page in three weeks. Even as a die-hard reader, I have struggled to finish my book. Maybe you have been here, too. It’s not a great feeling, but it got me thinking about our day-dreaming, doodling, and bathroom-going students. 

I was, eventually, able to finish my book (right after writing this post, in fact), but I can assure you that a teacher whisper-yelling “Get reading!” or “Focus on your book!” wouldn’t have got me there. My little reading rut has inspired me to round up some strategies for partnering with our students in their reading experience rather than just getting frustrated with them when they are experiencing their own reading challenges.

Below you will find some strategies for helping students re-engage with their books. 

Walk it out. 

Sometimes kids have too much pent up energy or they need to shake off a frustration or a little anxiety. If a student seems super distracted, tell them to take a lap, get a drink of water, and come back. Movement helps calm our bodies and minds. 

Find a more engaging text. 

Before you jump into scolding a student for not reading, it’s always worthwhile to have a conversation about their current book. I often just ask, “How are you liking this story?” Oftentimes when a student is distracted it’s because they’re just in a bit of a rut with a book. It might not be as interesting as they initially thought, or it may be bringing up some uncomfortable feelings. I never force students to stick with an independent reading text they don’t enjoy. Life’s too short for that! Help these students find another book they’ll find more engaging. These titles are usually winners, and book-talking really helps, too!

Find a more accessible title. 

On occasion, a reluctant reader is simply uninterested in their book because it’s just too challenging. Sometimes, students get excited about a title from a book talk, but it’s truthfully just not accessible for them, and consequently, it’s not enjoyable. I never tell a student they can’t read a text, but in my book talk guides (available here), I always suggest five similar alternative titles, and that list always includes at least one novel at a lower reading level. I work hard to make sure that even my most struggling readers have engaging, age-appropriate novels to choose from. 

Talk it out. 

Often, a resistance to reading comes from confusion in the text. I will always ask students how their reading is going before getting frustrated with their distracted behaviors. It’s usually helpful to talk out what’s happening at that point in the text, and sometimes, I’ll even read a little bit out loud to the student (whispering, of course) to get them back on track and re-engaged. Try it! These brief and meaningful one-on-one interactions help build really strong and trusting reading relationships between you and your students. 

Do a brain dump.

Encourage students who may have a lot on their mind or who are experiencing stress to take two minutes to do a quick brain dump in a notebook or on a sticky note. Personally, it can be hard for me to focus on a book when I have a lot on my mind. It’s no different for our students! While this may seem like a waste of precious reading time, it’s in fact teaching our students how real readers work through reading block and get back on track.

Above all, remember that we are working with human beings in our classrooms. One day a strategy might work, and the next it might fail. Engaging and re-engaging our students in reading will be a living, breathing process that will change every day. It’s not easy, but I cannot think of any job more worthwhile. At the end of the day, try to remember that as frustrated as you may get with some students around independent reading, it’s important to keep the time positive in your classroom. Never let the reading challenges of a few students outweigh the magic of most students’ engagement and joy. 

Happy Reading!

♥ Kara & Riley