Promoting Reading Engagement During National Reading Month

Many students lack reading proficiency simply because they haven’t found reading materials that truly engage them. Recent data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress has revealed a 30-year decline in reading scores linked to rising absenteeism, increased screen time and a growing disengagement from books. Students who struggle with reading face a higher risk of dropping out of high school and being unprepared for college or future careers. Without support, many are unable to grasp complex texts, identify main ideas, or draw meaningful conclusions.

Improving student reading engagement is critical to reversing these trends and helping learners succeed academically and beyond.

For National Reading Month, Hoosier College and Career Academy (HCCA) middle school language arts teacher Emma Kalinowski is tackling this issue by encouraging students to find texts that interest them and seem less intimidating.

“When students are able to select texts that genuinely interest them, engagement quickly shifts, and reading begins to feel less like a task,” said Emma.

Encouraging Students to Develop a Love for Reading

Emma was originally drawn to HCCA because of our focus on creating flexibility for students with a wide range of needs and learning styles. Emma uses interactive discussions, live modeling of reading strategies, and digital tools that allow students to work at their own pace. When students are able to select texts that genuinely interest them, engagement quickly shifts and reading begins to feel less like a task.

Emma uses a tool called EPIC, a digital reading platform that gives students access to a large library of books across reading levels and interests. Many titles include audio support and read-along features that can be especially helpful for developing readers. EPIC includes a strong collection of graphic novels, which are often the entry point for reluctant readers to help them build comprehension, vocabulary, and stamina while developing a genuine reading habit.

These strategies play a key role in increasing student reading engagement, especially for those who may feel overwhelmed by traditional texts.

Engaging Readers

The goal isn’t to convince students that reading is important; it’s to help them find something they genuinely enjoy reading, such as:

● Magazines
● Song lyrics
● How-to and strategy guides
● Graphic novels or comics
● Sports stats and almanacs
● Biographies and nonfiction that focus on subjects of interest

By connecting students to books that genuinely interest them, Emma aims to help them build more confidence in reading and feel less overwhelmed. This approach supports long-term student reading engagement and helps foster a lifelong love of reading.

For students who may need additional reading support, HCAA provides increased support and resources. Interested in learning more about our curriculum? Visit our website to explore more!

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