[Sam5]

My principal wants new ideas on how to motivate kids to do more reading. We aren't concerned with the better readers (the programs we have in place seem to be working for them), but for our struggling and reluctant readers.

What kind of rewards or incentives do you offer?

Do you have any other programs or ideas that have been effective?

We have Reading Counts. Do you have any ways that you use Reading Counts or Accelerated Reader that you have found to be particularly motivating?

Thank!

[SnackNapRead]

I have a very large graphic novel/manga section in my classroom library. Once students have met their personal goal, I allow them to check out a book from my graphic novel section. The kids go crazy over this and it seems to work well! I make sure that they come through me to get a graphic novel/manga and then they have to read a chapter book between each "special" book for the rest of the grading period.

[multigrade]

SnackNapRead, by manga, are you talking about a certain type of comic book?

[SnackNapRead]

Manga is a Japanese-style comic. Unlike American comics, manga is in a book-format (except that it is read back to front and right to left because that is how it is read in Japan). I love reading manga, and have a huge personal collection, but have found that most of it is unsuitable for classroom use so... I only stock my library with manga rated E or G. This usually means that I have a lot of Naruto, Zelda, and other tv-ized books - but the kids LOVE it. I figure, if it works ~ stick with it! lol

Here's a few links to some manga series my kids have been going nuts over:

http://www.amazon.com/Warriors-Retur...6773798&sr=1-2

http://www.amazon.com/Naruto-Vol-2-M...6773836&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Big-Adventures...6773863&sr=1-1

Manga art style is pretty popular now, too. My avatar is from a manga series called Yotsuba ~ the over-exaggerated facial expressions are very common.