What's a Genre and Why Do So Many Teachers Assign Them?

     Genre is simply a word that means "type" or "kind".  Students are usually introduced to the concept of genre through their reading instruction when they start to realize that what they are reading is not always the same.  At first, it may be as simple as determining that there is fiction (made-up stories) and nonfiction (information).  As students become more adept at reading, they begin to break these large groups into smaller classes.  Fiction comes in many forms: historical fiction, fantasy, mystery, science fiction and realistic fiction, to name a few.  Nonfiction can be divided as well, either by subject (math, science, history) or by form (biography, autobiography, essay).  Each type provides the reader with something unique, and each type requires slightly different skills from the reader.
      Many teachers here at Meadowview Intermediate assign students to read one book from a certain genre each month as part of their independent reading program.  In the fourth grade, this is done so each student tries each genre.  By the end of the year, students should have enough experience to know which genres they like best and should be better able to choose books independently.  In the fifth grade, students are usually given at least two options for the genre they are assigned to read each month, so they can gain additional practice and experience while still being allowed some level of choice.
     The overall goal behind assigning genres is to develop life-long readers.  If, at some point in their reading development, we can get students into a series or a genre they enjoy, the chances of their continuing development in reading increase dramatically.  Hopefully, by continuing to expose them to all the possibilities, we can help all students make this very important step in their reading development.