In elementary school, I had an experience that nearly turned me off reading.
My teacher, Ms. W., selected me to read aloud to the class. I took out a book about various forms of light, hoping the images I found fascinating would also entertain my classmates. But when I began to read, the class was silent. My classmates stared as I struggled to pronounce some of the words. At first, I thought I should’ve picked a funnier book or that there was something wrong with my storytelling voice.
A few weeks later, I was pulled out of class, along with two other classmates, and escorted down the hall to a smaller classroom with bright red walls. We sat in plastic chairs, while another teacher, Mr. A., sat across from us. Being pulled into a separate class upset me. I didn’t understand why my teacher would send me away.
“In this small class, we will practice reading together!” Mr. A. said. Then he read aloud to us and asked questions to make sure we understood what happened in the book. For the next few weeks, he regularly pulled us out for this supplemental class. The whole time, worries raced through my head. Was this new teacher trying to secretly check our reading level? Would he report to Ms. W. every mistake I made?
The next time Ms. W. asked me to read aloud to the full class, I felt uncomfortable and judged. I attempted to mimic her voice, thinking that was the “right” way to speak, but the silent stares of my peers let me know that my second try wasn’t going any better. I got so nervous that I struggled to pronounce many of the words and read so quickly that I tripped over others. I began to hate reading out loud.
A Friend Intervenes
My friend, Kate, who was not in the supplemental class, noticed that I’d stopped raising my hand to read aloud and asked me what was wrong. I turned away to avoid the question. After school, she asked again, saying, “But you always raise your hand! Why didn’t you today?”
“I don’t know.”
“But we promised to tell each other everything.”
A promise between friends in elementary school was very serious, so I eventually told her about the special class and how it made me feel.
She was really understanding and came up with a good idea. She knew I liked to teach others, so she suggested a game: she’d play the role of student, and I’d be the teacher and read the story to her. It made me feel better that she had a plan to help me.
I kept up my refusal to participate in class read-alouds, but Kate kept convincing me to read with her. She was always a captive listener, gasping or laughing, which made me feel better. She helped me pronounce words in a more accurate way, and she gave me the advice to speak louder. After a month, I grew to become more comfortable reading.
Reading Buddies
During this time, I also participated in a Reading Buddy program. Once a week, I met with an older student and we would read together. The older student often read to me from books I would’ve never picked up on my own, like National Geographic stories about cool sea creatures, or fantasy series like Magic Tree House. In return, I picked out books I enjoyed reading, usually simple and short picture books.
Like Kate, my reading buddy was an attentive listener and often asked me questions about the book after I was done reading it out aloud to her. Unlike the pressure I felt in the supplemental class, this both challenged me and gave me confidence as we had more sessions together.
I just needed someone to push me out of my comfort zone, but stay by my side for support while I took small steps.
Outside of the program, I began to challenge myself, reading books higher than my level, and asking the teacher for definitions of more advanced vocabulary words. Reading out loud in a more informal setting helped me adjust to reading at a pace I was comfortable with, without worrying about being assessed by a teacher on my technical skills. In the end, I just needed someone to push me out of my comfort zone, but stay by my side for support while I took small steps.
Every month, Ms. W. led us in a formal reading assessment. We had to read a small excerpt from a book out loud to her, and then verbally answer some comprehension questions. Afterward, we wrote responses to the excerpt. After each assessment, we found out if we were promoted to a new reading level.
I was especially nervous this time because it was my first assessment since being placed in the supplemental reading class. When I opened the book to read, I kept in mind all the tips my friend had taught me, including putting emphasis on words, especially the -ed in past tense verbs. Then I answered the comprehension questions and ended the reading assessment.
The teacher told me I seemed more confident reading aloud this time. I was officially promoted to a new reading level, unlocking a wider selection of books I could read.
Passing It On
During my last year at elementary school, I decided to participate in the Reading Buddy program again, but this time as a mentor. I remembered how much the program had encouraged me and I hoped to do the same for a younger student.
The first time I met with my assigned student, I noticed how shy and hesitant she was, and I saw my younger self in her. I tried my best to encourage her, to be the welcoming and attentive listener my younger self would have opened up to.
By our fourth week together, she started to become more confident, even adding her own commentary while reading one of the adventure books that she enjoyed (which she called “fun books”). I felt proud watching her grow and grateful for the Reading Buddy program. It exposed me to new genres of books I wouldn’t have otherwise explored and taught me the importance of being a patient mentor.
Since then, I’ve become an avid reader. I’ve learned that reading isn’t just about comprehension assessments or accurate pronunciation; it can be for leisure and enjoyment. In my own time, I like to explore classics from different parts of the world, like Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment.
I also like reading contemporary books like Circe by Madeline Miller, a retelling of Greek mythology, which led me to explore other folktales, like The Snow Child by Alaskan writer Eowyn Ivey. Sometimes, books have even sparked my interest in a new hobby, such as a simple Crochet for Beginners book I picked up at the library.
Through books, I have also learned about world histories and society at large. In Night by Elie Wiesel, I learned about the Holocaust through a first-person account of what it was like at the Auschwitz concentration camp, exposing the harsh conditions and terrible treatment of Jewish people during this time. In Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa, what seemed to be a light novel about a man exploring the art of making Japanese dorayaki confectionaries was actually an exploration of how Japanese society shunned those who had leprosy.
Reflecting on Literacy in New York City
As a senior in high school, when I look back on the discouraging reading experience I had early on, it seems like a small thing now. However, when I think back on how important reading has been to my growth as a person, I’m so grateful to the people who intervened.
Lately, I’ve been seeing news online about the low literacy rates of students in New York City. Data from last year showed that fewer than half of students are able to read at grade level and students’ struggles with reading can start as early as kindergarten. I hope my story can be an encouragement for someone who’s felt frustrated and discouraged with their reading journey so far – an encouragement to inspire them to give reading a second chance.
- School