We know that students who enjoy reading are likely to choose to read more often than students who do not enjoy reading. We also know that the more students read the better readers they become. The bottom line is that reading proficiency has been linked to a better and more productive academic, social, and civic life. We really don't need to be convinced that reading is a good thing for our students. The larger question is how do we help out students develop the reading habit? Recent research suggests three promising practices for supporting and nurturing the reading habit: design reading instruction based on principles of motivation, make reading relevant to the real world, and provide reading texts and tasks that are high-interest and moderately challenging.