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Frequently Asked Questions About Book Distributions
Q: What are some strategies for handling absent children?
A: RIF guidelines require that children who are absent from a distribution get to choose a book at another time. This requires that programs track who was absent and also ensure that that child has the opportunity to pick from several books at later time. Programs may not let another child, a parent, or a teacher select a book for that student!
Here are a number of strategies for serving absent children. Select the strategy that works best for your program.
- Leave books out for several days so that children who were absent have the opportunity to come back to the distribution another day.*
- Leave a box with a variety of books in a central location (school office, library reference desk, etc.) so children make a selection when they return.*
- Give the teacher or parent several titles for the children to pick from when they return.*
- Give the absent children (or parent/teacher) a coupon that will allow them to select an extra book at the next distribution. Keep a list of the children who were given coupons in case the coupon is lost.
- If you know beforehand that a child will be absent, make arrangements for the child to select a book at an earlier time.
- Hold a make-up distribution day for all the absent children.
*Make sure to get any extra titles back after all absent children have made their selections.
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Q: What do I do if children don't want to participate in book distributions?
A: Sometimes children, especially older children, are unwilling to select a book for ownership at the distribution. As the RIF coordinator, you cannot force these children to select a book. There are, however, certain steps you can take to ensure that all children are invested in the RIF program.
- Purchase the highest quality books you can afford and make sure they cover a wide variety of topics, interests, and reading levels.
- Link books to children's lives with extension activities and books discussions.
- Before the distribution, teach students how to select books at their reading level by using the "five-finger" strategy. Generally, if the student cannot understand 5 or more words per page (never going past one hand's worth of fingers), comprehension will be strained and the book may be too difficult for them.
- Model reading for pleasure and encourage family members to read to the children and for their own pleasure.
- Encourage children who do not want a book for themselves to get a book that can be shared with a younger sibling, a friend, or a child they baby-sit.
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, you may have one or two students who are not interested in taking a book. Again, don't force them to take a book, but do try to provide them with other opportunities to be exposed to literature and reading for pleasure.
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Q: What should I do if children select books beyond their reading ability?
A: All of RIF's programs are based on the fundamental premise of motivating children to read. RIF believes, and research validates, that choosing a book is a powerful motivator to read. Nevertheless, we understand the concern that parents and educators may have when they see children take books that are far above or below their reading capabilities.
At every distribution, children should have a variety of books about different topics and at different reading levels from which to select. Also, children should be free to make their own selections without adult interference. Adults should feel free to give guidance on titles that the children might like, but if the child wants another book, adults may not interfere with that choice. Children have many reasons for choosing particular books. Making choices, both good and bad, helps the children learn from the experience.
When running a book distribution for a program that serves a wide range of reading levels (such as K-fifth grade), a helpful strategy is to remove or cover up titles that are either too difficult or too easy for the age group being served at the time.
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