Book Buddies

Book buddies are students at different grade levels who meet regularly to read together. Second graders might read with kindergartners, or middle school students may return to their elementary schools to read with younger students in an after school program. The structure of buddy-reading activities vary widely, but usually buddies meet once or twice a week for about thirty minutes. The older student reads to the younger student, or vice versa, or the two students can read together.

How Book Buddies Can Foster Fluency in Struggling Readers

Buddy reading is another authentic purpose for rereading. Whoever reads for their buddy must practice beforehand -- and this practice can be especially powerful for struggling readers. Reading to a younger student also opens up a wide range of literature for the older reader. The older student has a great reason to practice reading easier text that will appeal to the younger student -- and in the process, build the older student's fluency, comprehension, and motivation for purposeful reading.

Tips for Successful Buddy Reading:

• Encourage older students to select books that will capture the attention and interest of the younger buddies
• Allow adequate practice time and support so that the older buddies can read their selections easily and fluently
• Pair buddies carefully -- Make sure that the older students are significantly more advanced than their younger buddies.
• Debrief with the students following buddy-reading to discuss favorite books and what went well during the session.

Teacher Tips

How do you use buddy reading with your students? Submit your ideas here!

Resources and Links

Websites

Buddy Reading -- Kid friendly site with suggestions for the older readers about helping their younger buddies.
http://library.thinkquest.org/J001156/helpothers/cp_buddyreading.htm

Books for Buddy Reading by Jacqueline Brickman, 5th grade teacher. Includes unit plan and suggested books for buddy reading.
http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonplans/unit_bookbuddies_books.htm

Book Buddy Biographies: Intermediate and Primary Students Working Together-- "Get to know you" introductory lesson to book buddy time.
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=160

Article

Kids Reading Together: Ensuring the Success of a Buddy Reading Program by Ellen S. Friedland and Kim Truesdell. Reading Teacher, Vol. 58 Iss. 1, pp. 76-79. www.reading.org
Discusses ways of ensuring the success of a buddy reading program for language instruction. Basic elements for success of the buddy reading program; Steps in developing a successful buddy reading program.

References

Rasinski, T. V. (2003). The fluent reader: Oral reading strategies for building word recognition, fluency, and comprehension. New York: Scholastic.

Worthy, J., Broaddus, K., & Ivey, G. Pathways to Independence: Reading, Writing, and Learning in Grades 3-8. New York: Guilford.