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Drop Everything and Read
DEAR is classroom time set aside for teachers and students to Drop Everything and Read. The goal of DEAR is to encourage independent silent reading for extended periods of time on a daily or weekly basis. Students choose the book they wish to read based on interest and ability.
See also sustained silent reading.
Additional information
Guidelines for DEAR focus on protecting it as a sacred classroom time to encourage independent reading. It is not sacrificed to other tasks nor used as a filler activity if other lessons finish early. It is not a graded activity, although students may be encouraged to share recommendations or evaluations of books with their peers.
Students should bring books from home or select books before DEAR time begins. Recommendations for a time frame suggest beginning with five minutes for younger students and fifteen minutes for older students, increasing the time allowance as the academic year progresses.
Examples and resources
See Alta Allen’s article "Real-World Approaches to Reading" for further explanation of DEAR and suggestions for incorporating it and related strategies into the elementary classroom. In addition, see Read.Write.Think for a lesson plan using DEAR in the classroom.
