Guided Reading The Adventure Begins

Understanding Balanced Literacy Shared Reading Guided Reading Independent Reading

Understanding Balanced Literacy Shared Reading: o Whole-class o Text slightly above children's instructional reading levels o The teacher models reading strategies

Guided Reading: o Small groups o Text on the students' instructional levels o The teacher assists with strategy use Understanding Balanced Literacy

Independent Reading: o Text on children's independent levels o Students practice on their own, with a peer, or with a parent Understanding Balanced Literacy

Guided Reading is small group reading instruction designed to provide differentiated teaching that supports students in developing reading proficiency. The reading group is homogeneous: the students read at about the same level, demonstrate similar reading behaviors, and share similar instructional needs. What is Guided Reading?

The small groups are temporary; they change as students' growth and needs are assessed. During guided reading lessons, students are engaged in reading, discussing, and writing about fiction and nonfiction texts that are selected by the teacher to foster proficient reading. In grades K-8, the Greenwich Township School District uses the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark and Leveling System to place students with the appropriate leveled texts. What is Guided Reading?

The Research Behind Guided Reading Guided Reading came about when educators realized differences in student learning and achievement. Today’s guided Reading includes the following characteristics: “Round Robin” reading is eliminated. Instead, each learner read chorally with the teacher, or may read the text softly or silently to himself, assuming that students delve into connected reading. Teachers select books for groups rather than following a rigid sequence.

The Research Behind Guided Reading Groups are dynamic; they change in response to assessments and students’ needs. They are flexible and fluid. In all groups, no matter what level, teachers teach a full range of strategies such as word solving, self-monitoring and correcting, fluency, inferring, and analyzing.

The Research Behind Guided Reading Teacher instruction supports critical thinking and comprehension and incorporates explicit vocabulary instruction and phonics or word work.

Matching Students to the Appropriate Text According to Fountas and Pinnell, the average range for kindergarteners is A-C. Most kindergarteners will begin at an A level. Formal assessments will completed in January and May. Due to the complexity of the text, we do not assess past the F level in January and I in May.

Matching Students to the Appropriate Text Students will bring home the same book for at least a week in order to practice vocabulary, word recognition, and phonics skills that are present in the book. The students do not move on to another book until these lessons are covered. Some books have been leveled using a system other than F&P. GTSD has correlated those levels to the F&P continuum, so your child will have an appropriate book regardless of the letter on the book.

What will Guided Reading Look Like in the Classroom? Teachers plan a half hour block for students to read, meet, and complete literacy centers. While the teacher meets with a group of students, the other students are engaging in independent activities such as phonics and sounds, high frequency sight words, and computer, listening, and seasonal activities that tie in with content areas of math, science, and social studies. *NOTE: If your child does not complete center work, it will be sent home as OPTIONAL homework. It does not have to be returned to school.

Guided Reading Video

What you can do at Home Every night your child will bring home the guided reading book he or she is reading, a reading log, and a Guided Reading Homework Sheet. It is expected that the book is read every night in order to build fluency and comprehension. Along with reading the book, the student must completed 5 activities listed on the homework sheet. Students will have 7 days to read the book and complete the activities. For example: If your child has guided reading on Wednesday, he or she will read the same book every night until the following Wednesday.

SAMPLES

SAMPLE

Tips for Success at Home Read the guided reading book daily. Have your child track the words with his or her finger. This prevents reading from memory. Complete the assignments throughout the week; don’t wait until the last minute! Practice with other books that are equally challenging.

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