Guided Reading in a Balanced Literacy Program Carole

Guided Reading in a Balanced Literacy Program Carole Figueiredo

What is the ultimate aim of reading? • What should be a secondary aim? More later What are the five instructional areas for the teaching of reading? (discussion)

Areas of reading • • • Phonemic awareness Phonics Fluency of reading Vocabulary development Comprehension

Mechanics vs comprehension? Under what heading would each of the items below come? • • • Phonemic awareness Phonics Fluency of reading Vocabulary development Comprehension -

Mechanics vs comprehension A little anecdote from my personal experience as a principal. “The grade 2 kid who falls behind. ” What support do we offer for the child who falls behind in the mechanics of language? (Discuss)

Mechanics vs Comprehension • How do we currently support a child with challenges in the area of reading mechanics? • How do we currently support a child with challenges in the area of reading comprehension?

Supporting the individual student in a complex classroom setting. • How can we support each individual child in the development of the five areas of reading and not go totally crazy? • GUIDED READING IS ONE STRATEGY THAT WORKS (Research supported)

What is guided reading? • “Guided reading is a teaching approach designed to help individual students learn how to process a variety of increasingly challenging texts with understanding and fluency” • (Fontas and Purnell – Guiding Readers and Writers)

Guided reading should be a part of a daily balanced reading program. • Reading to the students (interactive readalouds) • Reading with the students and students reading with each other. • Reading by the students – guided reading and independent reading

What does the typical reading hour look like? • Read aloud • Typically three groups of students A- Independent reading – taking Reading Counts quizzes B- Vocabulary work, spelling work, phonics work, comprehension based on previous guided reading lesson C- Guided reading (*Decisions based on data – more later) Whole class sharing

Management • Teach expected behaviour at the beginning of the year! • Take MUCH time to do this!

West Pembroke

Another corner

Typical lesson (1) • • • • Before Reading (5 -6 minutes) Introducing text Cover Title Author Illustrator Picture Walk How do we teach vocabulary? Two to three necessary words to understand text. Read 2 to 4 pages (NOT round robin) Setting a purpose for reading

Typical lesson (2) • During Reading (7 -9) • The students should spend the bulk of the lesson reading (research on reading and instruction). • Listening to children • Note taking – individuals and also for future group instruction (DATA)

Typical lesson (3) • After Reading (4 -5 minutes) • • vocabulary review purpose for reading Engage children in meaningful discussion set post reading work – e. g. readers journal, vocabulary exercises, comprehension exercise.

Getting started • Start! • Start small – maybe one group per day • Make a note book with children’s names listed individually. Use notes for future teaching. • After a time – film each other and critique • Engage in professional development (Guided Reading – Fontas and Purnell)

Added benefits of guided reading • Development of writing skills • Student motivation – the story of Justice and all the other Justins and Justices in my life (USSR).

Reflection • Has anything today been useful? • What might you do next?