Create an independent reading center and give students a set number of minutes each day to read. Make available to students books that are at varied reading levels. Have students select which books they will read and have them keep a reading log. The independent reading center should be a quiet and comfortable place in the classroom.
Assign students a reading partner and create a partner reading center. Select a book for each pair and have students take turns reading aloud to each other and following along as their partner reads. Use file folders as table dividers to isolate the pairs, and have students use whisper voices to keep from disturbing other students.
Set up a word center where students can practice phonics, spelling, vocabulary and other word-related skills. List the games and exercises available to students on a center menu and label all materials for each game or exercise for easy access. Make rule sheets and score cards available to students in advance, and decide how often each student is allowed to play each game. Consider creating a classroom contest to see which students can move through all of the games or exercises in a set time period.
Create a writing center. Provide students with short reading passages and writing prompts about those passages that require them to reflect on what they have read and to connect it to their own lives. Give each student his own writing notebook and teach students how to write the proper header on a new page to note a new entry. Once each week, sit down with students one at a time to review what they have written and to offer suggestions for revising their work.