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Schools

Kindling a Love for Reading at Rush School

Amazon Kindles are being used in the classrooms at Rush School to supplement instruction.

 

A conversation with a colleague inspired Mrs. Janice Wills-Kingsbury, supervising teacher at Eleanor Rush Intermediate School, to implement the use of Amazon Kindles in the classrooms. Her co-worker told her he had always disliked reading but became an avid reader after discovering e-books.

“I realized that this technology could be used to stimulate reading interest in children who were reluctant readers as well as those who already had the reading 'bug,'" said Wills. She also knew there was a gap between the technology students are exposed to and use at home and what is available in school.

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She applied for online donations and received funding to start the Kindle program with only three Kindles. In January of 2012, Wills introduced the Kindles to teachers and students.

“The program was an instant success and the student interest soon outstripped the Kindle supply,” she said. Luckily, friends and family added to the inventory and she was able to expand to 10 Kindles by June 2012.

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The Cinnaminson Education Association recently approved a grant which will provide funding for an additional 17 to 20 Kindles, and the Cinnaminson Home & School Association has agreed to provide even more financial assistance to bring this program to life. Wills feels positive about this endeavor. “My goal is to have several Kindles in every classroom with materials to meet all interest levels. The program has a bright future.”

This past September, 25 eager students signed up to be part of the Kindle Club, an after school reading club facilitated by Wills. In the classrooms, students are thrilled when they see that Kindles will be used. They can’t wait to get their hands on them.   

“I love the Kindles because they are fun to use. You can choose any books to read and you can download apps," said Shreya, an 8-year-old in third grade. Although she loves books of all kinds, she enjoys the features of the Kindle. "In a real book, you can’t press the word to find out what it means,” she added.

Another 8-year-old, Ian says he likes electronics and is a good reader, so “the Kindles make reading more fun.”

Nine-year-old Dylan added, “My favorite thing is that they have a touch screen.”

The Kindle allows students of all levels to read together. If a student does not understand a word, a slip of the finger allows them to look it up immediately.  Word and math games allow children to independently work on different skills at all levels.

Teachers also enjoy the new technology in the classroom and are finding that it is a great supplement to reading instruction. Third grade team teachers Mrs. Sciancalepore and Mrs. York have integrated the Kindles into their daily plans so that all students have a chance to use the Kindles with supervision when reading in small groups at least once a week.

Miss Gordon, a fourth-grade teacher at Rush, has found that this new tool comforts and motivates her young readers while reading on their own.

“The Kindles are very helpful for independent reading," she said. "I think they encourage kids to read because they seem less overwhelming than a book with hundreds of pages and thousands of words. Some of my students who did not like to read have found a love for reading with the Kindle.”

Principal Debbie Banecker is finding that the Kindles help those students who tend to shy away from reading.

“We have noticed a significant increase in reluctant readers choosing to read with Kindles. The Kindles are a welcome addition to Rush School!”

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