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Anderson Students Have a Nook to Read a Book

Anderson Middle School hopes to improve the reading scores of struggling readers by using the Nook, an e-reader.

Have you ever used a Nook to read a book? It is not a Dr. Seuss rhyme. A group of Berkley educators hope it's an answer to the age-old challenge of how to encourage students to read.

In the spring, Anderson Middle School principal Vince Gigliotti, along with staff members Stacie Angel, a learning specialist; Maureen Watson, media specialist; and Diane Duncan, counselor, came up with an innovative plan to reach struggling readers through the Nook e-reader. 

Using Title One money, the school purchased Nooks for a pilot group of 20 struggling readers to use during a summer reading program.

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Gigliotti says the program is founded on the idea that the more motivated the reader, the greater the reader’s growth. The program required readers to attend summer reading check-ins at which the students were measured in both reading comprehension and oral fluency.

“We are using the data to see if a student is making growth,” Gigliotti said. “Our hope is that these students don’t need to return to the summer reading program."

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Angel, Anderson Middle School’s learning specialist, is a personal fan of the Nook.

“I’m obsessed with it," Angel said. "I am an avid reader to begin with, and I have read more this summer than I ever have.”

Students Confirm

Before the summer, if you'd asked any of the students in the pilot program if they considered themselves readers, the answer would likely be "no." Yet, with a sleek new Nook in their hands, these 20 students were motivated to try digital reading, and many came away with an appreciation beyond that of a new tech toy. 

Seventh-grader Jordan Hailo read Crash and Iqbal on the Nook.  Although he enjoyed the simple pleasures of a Nook, like not having any pages bent, Jordan also enjoyed the practicality of changing text size.

“Making the words bigger made it a lot easier for him,” said Amanda Young, Hailo’s mother.

Jordan Farr, also in seventh grade, read five books on the Nook over the summer. His favorite time to read is before bed, which is why he loved the Nook. “When I want to read at night, I don’t need a flashlight,” he said.

Farr also accredited the Nook for improving his vocabulary, saying he now understands and uses bigger words. “If I didn’t understand a word, I would look it up,” Farr said.

Joshua Alford, seventh grade, believes the Nook helped his comprehension because it allowed him to take notes while he read.

Likewise, seventh-grader Anolia Salmo said she liked using the highlighting tool to help her comprehend parts of the book.

Eighth-grader Miles Jones also used the highlighting and note-taking tools integrated into the Nook. Jones, who read The Jacket and Crash, summed up how these tools helped make reading an enjoyable experience. “It helped me not forget,” said Jones.

Once a  reluctant reader, Jones did admit he also liked the Nook for its tech-savvy convenience. “It’s like a computer you can take with you,” said Jones.

Nook into the Future

Forty Nooks were purchased with the Title One money. Although only 20 students signed up for the summer reading Nook program, the initial results from students and parents were positive.

Angel said, “Parents are taking it seriously and helping to monitor student use.”

With growing support, Angel and the Anderson Middle School staff plan to incorporate the Nooks into their curriculum to further entice struggling readers.

Vincent Tenaglia, who is going into eighth grade, is among one who is excited to continue reading on the Nook.  Tenaglia said he didn’t like reading, but joined the pilot program because he wanted to improve his grade. He credited innovative programs like the summer reading Nook in helping him achieve that goal. 

In addition, he welcomed the support from Angel and the Anderson staff. “They keep pushing me to go farther,” said Tenaglia.

Gigliotti and the Nook pilot team have yet to compile all the data to determine whether the Nooks helped improve student reading success. One of the final pieces of data will be the MEAP test in October.  Until then, students will continue to be monitored through comprehension and oral fluency testing.

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