The use of readers may happen as early as second grade, and this decision is left to the discretion of the teacher. But by third grade it is an integral part of the reading program. Third grade is also the time when the students begin to write out most of the lesson book stories in their own words. This independent work was first introduced in second grade, but now it becomes a focal point of the language arts curriculum. Using the class teacher's presentations as starting points each individual student explores his or her own individual voice.
Some students write copiously, some cautiously, and others eloquently.
The important thing, however, is that each is drawing up to the level of consciousness all they have experienced of narration, character and description in the earlier grades. In fourth grade and up very little of the teacher's writing as copied into the student's books. Only in cases where very concise information or stylistic examples are needed should the writings be anyone's other than the students' themselves. By now reading is a regular part of each individual's day. Students should be reading at home on a daily basis, and book reports, oral and written, can be continually in process for sharing with the class.