Pulling Guided Reading Groups

Selecting the Text

Consider the following:

•       Print layout and spacing

•       Familiarity and sophistication of content

•       Known and new high frequency contact

•       Support provided by illustrations and other art

•       Length

•       Familiarity of language or syntax

•       Amount of new vocabulary

•       Graphic or other text features

•       Organization of information

Introducing the Text

•       Call attention to a few difficult words

•       Explain a few concepts or vocabulary

•       Build interest in the text

•       Activate background knowledge

•       Get students wondering about the text

•       Invite students to make predictions

•       Point out something unusual in the print or layout or language structures

•       Point out unfamiliar text features like bold type, ellipses, italics.

Reading the Text

•       2^nd grade  and up – will usually read silently while the teacher listens

•       Kindergarten and 1^st grade – will usually read out loud, very softly.

How Do I Listen

•       Slide hand in and out

•       Turn one front/one back

•       Walk around and kneel beside each child

•       Have them start at different times

What if they finish at different times?

•       Teach them to reread

•       Have them read and then choose another book to read

•       Give them a task to think/write about when they are done

While they are reading

•       Prompt to initiate problem-solving actions using meaning, language and print

•       Demonstrate effective ways to search for and use the information in the text

•       Demonstrate, reinforce or prompt using self-monitoring of checking strategies

•       Demonstrate, reinforce or prompt self-correcting errors that interfere with meaning

•       Observe effective reading behaviors

•       Demonstrate, reinforce or prompt using punctuation.

Discussing and Revisiting the Text

•       Practice retelling

•       Invite personal response/sharing of understanding

•       Encourage readers to search for new information

•       Make predictions/inferences

•       Make connections

•       Express opinions

•       Listen to and build on each other’s thinking

Retelling Activities

•       Story Boards

•       Picture Retelling

•       Round Robin Retelling

•       Dramatic Retelling

•       Cut-Up Stories

•       Sequencing/Timelines

What is Guided Reading

According to Fountas and Pinnell, guided reading is an instructional setting that enables you (the teacher) to work with a small group of students to help them learn effective strategies for processing text with understanding.

Guided reading is a teaching approach that is designed to help individual students learn how to process a variety of increasingly challenging texts with understanding and fluency.

What Guided Reading Does NOT Look Like:

•       Round robin reading

•       Choral reading

•       Teacher reading the book to the   students

•       Students reading different books

•       Except when reading from book bags

•       Interruptions of the group

How does Guided Reading work?

•       Teacher works with 4-6 students in each group.

•       Children are grouped according to similarities in   reading development and instructional reading levels or, by strategy need.

•       Teacher introduces stories, strategies, and concepts within group to increase independent application inappropriate leveled text.

•       Every child reads and is supported by teacher.

•       Emphasis is on strategic problem solving within appropriate leveled text.

Structure of Guided Reading

•       Selecting a Text

•       Introducing the Text

•       Reading the Text

•       Discussing and Revisiting the Text

•       Teaching for Processing Strategies

•       Working with Words (optional)

•       Extending the Understanding of Text (optional)

Materials Needed:

•       Leveled texts (one copy per student)

•       Guided Reading binder

•       Post-it notes

•       Highlighter tape

•       Dry Erase board(s)/markers

•       Magnetic/plastic letters

•       Familiar book bags

•       Take home book bags with logs

How are Guided Reading groups formed and assessed?

•       Use teacher assessments you have given.

•       Listen to your kids read individually.

•       Do a current DRA/PAPI and look at the results.

•       Use your current anecdotal records on reading behaviors seen in your students.

How Often Do Groups Meet?

•       Lowest readers/struggling readers should meet with you on a daily basis.

•       Middle level students 2-3 times per week.

•       Highest readers can get by with 1 – 2 times per week or with individual conferences.

How Do I Get Started?

•       The first four weeks of school is all about management.

•       Teach your kids a step at a time.

•       Model, model, model

•       Practice, practice, practice

•       Spend your time watching, reinforcing, and slowly pull back.

Peek Into Another Classroom

Time is precious...and as a teacher there seems to never be enough of it to get the job done!  One thing I always wished I had the opportunity to do as a teacher was visit my colleagues classrooms.  If I had the opportunity to see what amazing things they were doing with their students, it may have made me a stronger teacher.  I may have found ways to make my job easier by studying what other teachers on campus did well.
I am hoping that this blog gives you an opportunity to take a peek into other teachers classrooms at your own convenience.  If you feel that you do something well, please let us know.  I am willing to come to your classroom and take pictures or even video tape you so that your colleagues can see how awesome you are at your profession.