1. A Part of a Balanced Literacy Framework
Guided Reading
A Part of a Balanced Literacy Framework

2. Our Agenda
Where does guided reading fit in a balanced literacy framework?
What are the critical attributes of guided reading?
Observing the process (video)
Guided Reading and Literacy Place
Using the Guided Reading materials from Scholastic
Addressing Specific Concerns (time allowing)

3. Main Sources for this Presentation

4. Main Sources Continued
Also available 3-8 for $9 less than the K-8
K-8 version

5. Key principles in effective reading instruction:
Students should spend the bulk of their time reading continuous text.
Students need to read high-quality texts to build a reading process.
Students need to read a variety of texts to build a reading process.
Students need to read a large quantity of texts to build a reading process.
Fountas and Pinnell

6. Students need to read different texts for different purposes.
Students need to hear many texts read aloud.
Students need different levels of support at different times.
“Level” means different things in different instructional contexts
The more students read for authentic purposes, the more likely they are to make a place for reading in their lives.
Students need to see themselves as readers with tastes and preferences.

7. Elements of an Intermediate Literacy Framework
Language and Word Study
Reading Workshop
Writing Workshop
(Fountas and Pinnell)

8. Where Does Guided Reading Fit?
Reading Workshop
Whole Group Mini-lesson
Independent Reading/Guided Reading/Individual Conferences
Whole Group Closure

9. Literacy Learning: What’s Essential? Cognitive Strategies
Surface Structure Systems
Deep Structure Systems
(handout – available at
Click on: Ellin Keene's "What is Essential" -on four pages )

10. The Functions of Guided Reading
Readers construct and extend the meaning of texts
Readers monitor and correct their own reading
Readers maintain fluency and phrasing while reading continuous text
Readers problem-solve words “on the run” while reading continuous text

11. Grouping for Guided Reading
Placement is fluid and flexible, changing with children’s needs. (Therefore, the teacher must be diagnosing needs through sensitive observation.)
This homogeneous group is only one group to which the child belongs. (May be homogeneous by strategy need, not always by reading level.)

12. Text Selection
Texts are carefully selected by the teacher based upon the strengths and needs of the group.
Every child does not move through a predetermined sequence of texts.

13. Things to consider as you choose texts are:
Reading Level – instructional level
Concepts – Will they understand it?
Linguistic Difficulty – How complex are the sentence structures?
Theme – Is it appropriately sophisticated?
Background Knowledge
Current Strategies Used
Current Strategies Neglected
Text Layout
Interest

14. Introducing New Texts
Introductions are carefully thought out ahead of time with consideration given to:
The focus of the lesson
Unfamiliar concepts
Unfamiliar language structures
Visual information that may need extra attention
Work for independence in book orientation

15. First Reading of the Text
Every child reads the entire selection for that day whether it be an entire story, a portion of a story, or a single chapter.
The teacher needs to circulate, listen in, teach, and make notes of observations in order to look for patterns within and among students.

16. Reasons that it is important for every child to have the opportunity to read the entire text:
They need to know what is happening within the whole text, not just a portion. This allows them to use the storyline to predict and to monitor their reading.
The need to encounter the word, structure, or type of processing again and again.
Limited amounts of texts offer limited opportunities.

17. They need to develop the ability to carry meaning over longer stretches of text.
They need to develop persistence and stamina as readers.
They need to collect evidence that may change their thinking as they read.

18. Teaching During the First Reading
Promote risk taking
Demonstrate, model, or prompt for searching (surface structure strategies)
Demonstrate, model, or prompt for cross-checking which leads to monitoring
Link known to new information

19. Choose the most powerful and memorable teaching points and let some things go.
Use prompts that are generative in nature.
Promote the use of deep structure strategies (comprehension strategies)
Work for independence.

20. Discussing the Text
After reading the teacher brings students together to discuss some aspect of the text focusing on making meaning.
Characters
Plot predictions
Part about which the students have questions
Revisit difficult vocabulary
Comprehension strategies used (metacognition)

21. The teacher may also use this time to:
Reinforce strategy use
Demonstrate or model strategy use
Initiate a brief word study
Remember – It is a mistake to think what we are teaching processing strategies merely by asking comprehension questions.

22. Opportunities to Reread
Opportunities are provided for rereading familiar texts in order to promote fluency, comprehension, and the orchestration of strategies.

23. Observing the Process (video)

24. Guided Reading and Literacy Place
The sections of the Teachers’ Sourcebooks that are labeled “Guided Reading” do not fit the critical attributes that we have discussed today. They would be more aptly labeled “Shared Reading” if they were to be used with the whole class.

25. Scholastic materials that support guided reading are:
Guided Reading Books
EOY Goals: 3rd gr. – level O
4th gr. – level R
5th gr. – level U
6th gr. – level X
Trade Book Libraries
Additional sets of multiple copies of books

26. Using the Guided Reading Materials From Scholastic Activity

27. Another Point to Consider
Motivation: The Role it Plays in Developing Readers Who Read
The man who doesn't read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them.  ~ Mark Twain ~