Shared reading of self-selected books with kindergartners: What can students and their teacher learn

Research Question. What happens when reading instruction is based on Kindergartners' self-selected books?;Research Activities. This study took place in a low-income Kindergarten classroom in Wyoming over fve weeks, where each student was seen six times each for 30 minutes. The inquiry project investigated the effects of spontaneous, one-on-one reading instruction, based on students' self-selected books. Each session, I offered students a collection of books, from which they could select one, and from there I implemented instructional methods I deemed appropriate for each particular student, and feasible based on the book. My hopes for the sessions were that students' engagement created from self-selected books would motivate them to participate in their own learning, and that one-on-one shared reading would create an environment that was benefcial for both the student and myself. I recorded each session, and kept track of what instructional methods were used, noting if any changes were made in the midst, based on student response. I assessed students' basic literacy skills appropriate for their grade level, including Letter and Sound Identifcation, Phonemic Awareness Skills, and Concepts of Print and Narrative. Based on multiple observations, student responses, and improved assessment scores, student book choice and differentiated, individualized instruction appears to contribute to student motivation and learning to read.