Authentic Persuasive Writing to Promote Summer Reading

Overview

Featured Resources

From Theory to Practice

 

OVERVIEW

Devote time during your last weeks of school to promote summer reading by inviting students to create brochures and flyers that suggest books and genres to explore during the summer months. Students first work in small groups to examine a variety of booklists, synthesizing the attributes of effective booklists. Next, students determine a focal point (genre, topic, etc.) for their booklists and gather appropriate information. Finally, students examine an example of persuasive writing, considering audience and purpose. They then write text for their booklist fliers or brochures, with audience and purpose in mind.

You can customize the lesson, if desired, to promote reading any time of the year.

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FEATURED RESOURCES

	ALA’s Young Adult Library Services Association: The American library Association's site for young adult literature includes a variety of booklists.
	ReadWriteThink Printing Press: Students can use this online tool to    create brochures or flyers.

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FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE

Gloria Pipkin explains in her Notes Plus article, "Of course we want our students to read over the summer, but I've yet to be convinced that the typical summer reading assignment does much to extend love of reading or increase literary competence. There may be a handful of students who can't wait to tackle our scintillating assignments on their summer vacation, but for the most part, summer reading assignments are regarded as a plague and a pox, even by avid readers, who much prefer choosing their own books."

Rather than required readings, Pipkin suggests that we invite students to create their own summer reading opportunities, which they then share and promote within the classroom or school making summer reading projects into student-centered explorations.

Further Reading

Pipkin, Gloria. "Promoting Real Summer Reading." Notes Plus 15.4 (March 1997): 7-8.

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