| By Thorndike Staff |
Encouraging kids to read has always been challenging, but once students feel more motivated and confident, they can grow into lifelong readers.
How can you simplify reading for all students?
In our recent webinar with School Library Journal, two school librarians discuss evidence-based practices and strategies to ensure all young readers get the support they need.
Hear from Donna Gray, library coordinator for the NYC School Library System, and Tasha Squires, teacher librarian at O’Neill Middle School in Illinois, about what they’ve seen students respond to in their libraries. From offering more diversity in content to more accessibility in format, you can find solutions to motivate young readers at every level of ability.
According to Donna Gray, “Giving students the opportunity to actually have choice and voice is super important in what we do … We want students to enjoy reading, to enjoy the space, to become the better version of themselves, and large print helps with that.”
Offer More Accessible Formats in Your Library
Adding large print to your library’s collection expands accessibility for all readers.
Youth large print is proven to aid comprehension, reduce anxiety, and inspire confidence. In a nationwide study conducted with Project Tomorrow®, 69% of young readers said they enjoyed reading large print more than any other books during the school year.
Thorndike large print books are formatted in a 16-point serif font and have expanded spacing between lines and words. This allows for improved word recognition because the reader can decipher more effectively. Once decoding errors are eliminated and fluency improves, readers can focus on the meaning of the text and vocabulary, further developing comprehension skills.
In the Simplify Reading for All Students webinar, Donna Gray notes, “Students feel more accomplished, because if it’s large print, they’re turning the page a lot and … getting through a book. Turning the pages is a good feeling—it’s helpful for a student.”
Implement an Award-Winning Literacy Solution
Thorndike Press Youth Large Print received platinum in the 2023 Modern Library Awards (MLAs), a program judged by over 80,000 librarians nationwide. This win demonstrates the strides youth large print is making as an easily attainable accessibility solution for young readers.
As Tasha Squires concludes, “Large print is another piece of the puzzle to help kids reading, and it’s a great fit.”
Discover how you can support young readers by offering choices in both content and format in your library. Watch the webinar on demand to hear the full conversation on how to simplify reading for all students.