Set aside a time every day for silent reading and silent writing. You are your students best model. Use print for both interest and enjoyment and the children will do the same. You don't and neither do your students. Put a variety of meaningful and interesting print in your classroom including magazines, recipes, flyers, posters, brochures, pamphlets, poems, books, etc.
Kids love to know the real life of their favorite author.
Write to publishers, find biographies, and look on the internet for more information about children's authors. Invite students to write a letter to the author. Look at other forms of literature including historical fiction, fantasy, fairy tales, fables, biographies, mysteries, poetry, and even non-fiction. Play reading bingo where students must read a certain number of each genre to win. An inviting reading area My favorite place to read is lying on the couch.