Bolingbrook Teacher's Book Club Gets Students 'Wild' About Reading

Caption: B.J. Ward teacher Val Marion works with kindergartner Riley Lange and 2nd grader Charlisa Combs during a session of Wildcat Readers Club.

Every Tuesday and Thursday morning before school, nearly 20 kindergarten through second graders get together at B.J. Ward Elementary School for Wildcat Readers Club.

“Our goal is to increase their motivation to read as well as their fluency and comprehension,” said first-grade teacher Val Marion, who oversees the club. “

Marion, who launched the club some 10 years ago, uses a wide range of activities to excite the imaginations of both general education and bilingual students including karaoke, Reader’s Theatre and small group reading.

“So many times in the classroom climate we don’t do enough reading aloud. Instead we do mostly silent reading,” Marion said. “We’ve found that reading out loud with others not only promotes fluency but also promotes comprehension.”

Marion runs four Wildcat Readers Club sessions a year and any kindergarten through second grader is eligible to attend. Each session holds a maximum of 18 students.

“The kids have a great time,” Marion said. “And the parents love it too, especially the fact that their kids perform little skits with each other or sometimes for other teachers.”