Many teachers use reading logs in the classroom and as homework assignments to encourage reading and comprehension among their students. But reading logs are often done individually, and cannot easily be shared by fellow students. Kids often complain about them, and they can actually soon become counter-productive.

Here are a few tips on how you might improve your reading logs

Use an online reading log program such as Reading-Rewards.com. Keep everything centralized, no more lost or forgotten homework! Kids can log their reading time from home or at school, and teachers can easily access them from anywhere. Built-in parental validations keep parents involved every step of the way.
Set daily or weekly reading targets, and reward your students when they reach them. Rewards do not have to be expensive in order to be effective. You might choose to hold a raffle at the end of your reading challenge, and have kids earn a ticket every time they reach their daily reading target. Raffle off new books, or other small items. Using the Reading-Rewards program, kids earn RR Miles with their reading minutes. Teachers can then set up an ‘RR Store’ for their students, where kids can purchase their rewards with their points! Add as many items to the store as you like, you can even customize each child’s store, if necessary, since some students might need different incentives in order to be effective.
Share your students’ book lists and reviews with the class. Kids enjoy learning about what their classmates are reading, and these can be a great source of book recommendations. The Reading-Rewards program gives kids bonus RR Miles when they review their books these reviews are then shared with their teachers and classmates. A great way to see which books were enjoyed, and which were not!
Make things a little competitive! Set up a reading race, and see who reaches the finish line first! Have your students ‘advance’ in the race for every 10 minutes of logged reading time. This is a great way to encourage reading, as most kids love a bit of friendly competition.
Make sure you suggest or choose books for your students that are appropriate for their age-level and interest. If your readers are particularly reluctant, choosing books from any one of numerous ‘Books for Reluctant Readers’ lists could be helpful. No matter how much fun you make your reading logs, or how great the rewards you set up are, if the kids are not enjoying their books, the experience will be counter-productive.
Make sure you review your reading targets and rewards often. If you’ve set your targets too high, kids who are unable to reach them might quickly get discouraged, despite any rewards you may have set up. Think about your travel rewards programs, and how long it takes you to earn those flights. It’s easy to decide the whole system is pointless. Small but reasonably attainable incentives work best. Reward small but often, at least at first.
» Read more: Get Kids Reading With a Better Reading Log