Photo by Noel Hendrickson/Digital Vision.

Anyone who’s had the pleasure of getting lost in a good book of their choosing knows the joy independent reading can bring. As educators, we take that experience one step further, understanding that independent reading is a key element to a well-rounded and successful literacy program. It allows students to discover books that capture their interest and enables them to share what they read with others. It provides opportunities for students to be creative and empowered in the learning process. And when paired with classroom curriculum, independent reading tied to assessment and evaluation can significantly advance vocabulary, reading comprehension, verbal fluency, and school achievement among K–12 students.

We know that when students read just 15 minutes each day, they are exposed to more than a million words each year. We also know that students are likely to read more, and develop positive attitudes towards reading, when they have the freedom to choose books that interest them. They are more likely to become enthusiastic lifelong readers—and learners—because they have a voice in the reading process, are empowered to contribute to their knowledge, and have greater control over what they learn. The more schools are able to raise the bar on independent reading, the greater the opportunity for students to share ownership for learning and view reading as a key priority. Essentials for supporting independent reading One of the most important things K–12 schools can do to support independent reading is to make more of the books students want to read available, where and when kids want them, at a price that makes this possible. It sounds simple enough, but as budgets tighten, educators are challenged by the task of adding titles to their library collections in a cost-effective and meaningful way. That’s one reason why more of them are turning to digital book clubs such as Brain Hive^® to support their independent reading programs in a format that is becoming increasingly essential to the learning process. Brain Hive helps educators redefine reading by providing access to more than 6,500 high-interest fiction and non-fiction titles, on demand for just one dollar per ebook. Students are able to use free apps to download books on their favorite e-reader devices from any Internet connection. And because membership is free and schools pay only for the books that get checked out, it’s an economical way for educators to provide books kids love on the devices they can’t live without. With Brain Hive, librarians maintain complete control over their collection, budget, and access, while readers are able to choose from a wide selection of titles that are continuously updated to suit every grade level, genre, and interest. The curated collection includes bestselling and award-winning titles from trusted children’s publishers that appeal to students at elementary, middle, and high-school reading levels. Students are able to designate their unique reading interests—and get recommendations for just the right books to engage them in reading independently. In addition to offering an array of popular titles available on demand, Brain Hive redefines the reading experience in other ways, including using social and educational tools to simplify and stimulate engagement. For example:

• Educators can use these tools to create book clubs and invite students to share in a reading group—a great option to support summer reading programs or classroom reading assignments.
• Students can bookmark as well as take notes and citations within books they’re reading. They can also reference saved notes—an excellent tool to support research and report projects.
• Students can share what they’re reading from Brain Hive with friends, rate books, and mark favorites—ideal opportunities for students to spread the love of reading with others as they learn.

Getting a return on your independent reading investment Another way Brain Hive helps educators redefine reading is by providing tools and reports that track student activity and measure the true value of digital reading at their schools. Educators can see ebook circulation, as well as  time spent reading, pages read, genres and interests, average student ratings, and many more features that help them understand reader engagement. In addition, more than 65 percent of titles available on Brain Hive have Accelerated Reader (AR) Quizzes available for assessment of reading comprehension. The AR Quizzes that Brain Hive links online to its Accelerated Reader libraries provide powerful tools for monitoring and managing independent reading practices. Since Brain Hive was launched in June 2012, the club has reported more than 275,000 pages read and more than 1,600 hours of reading through its tracking system. As independent reading takes off, Brain Hive is using data to help schools gain traction with valuable insights. For example:

• More than half of the books students have checked out have been in the intermediate and middle-grade fiction category.
• Sixty percent of the books checked out have been fiction, and 40 percent nonfiction.
• The most popular genres include intermediate and young adult fiction, graphic novels, and high interest non-fiction on subjects such as sports, science, and nature.
• Students have discriminating tastes, and reports have indicated that most of the books accessed are multiple award winners.

These are just some of the reasons why we are so excited about working with K–12 schools to raise a buzz for reading. By offering more reading choices to students, enabling them to discover and download award-winning ebooks to their favorite devices, and appealing to all grade levels, topics, and genres, we can truly raise the bar on independent reading for our students. We can lay the foundation for enthusiastic lifelong learning. And we can help educators redefine the way students read by expanding where and when reading and learning takes place—both inside and outside the classroom. Brain Hive is redefining reading. Learn more. Terri Soutor is president of Brain Hive LLC.