1. Conferring with Readers Part 1
Marcia Uretsky
CACD, Tufts University
July, 2008
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

2. Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008
Workshop Goals- Day 1
Overview of Reading Conferences
Finding Patterns in Conferences to Organize Small Group Instruction and Focus Lessons
Typical Conference Structure
Conference Language
Ways to Organize Conference Notes
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

3. Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008
Workshop Goals- Day 2
Dual Roles of Reading Conferences
Reading Surgery
Support Focus Lessons
Language to Support Comprehension
Conferences to Help Students Select “Just Right” Books
Small Groups Based on Conference Notes
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

4. The Architecture of Readers’ Workshop
Focus Lesson -Interactive Read Aloud
(Whole Class) -Shared Reading
Read and Confer -Independent Reading
(Individual and -Small Group Reading
Small Group)
Group Share/ -Share
Wrap-up -Reinforce
(Whole Class) -Celebrate
-Discuss
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

5. What Is an Independent Reading Conference?
teacher works one-on-one with a student
to teach the reader what s/he needs to learn about reading.
The teacher assesses (researches) what the student needs to learn, decides what to teach the student and then teaches the reader.
Some people think of an Independent Reading conference as a “private lesson.”
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

6. Dual Role of Reading Conferences
Reading Surgery
Teach the reader, not the text
Support Curriculum
Coach student to apply strategy taught in Focus Lesson
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

7. Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008
What is essential?
Conversational tone
Consistency
Motivation- develop identity as a reader
Research, Decide, Teach (RDT,R) and record
Teach the reader, not the book
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

8. Conference goals for the teacher:
To coach the student to think actively
To assess what the student knows and needs to learn
To teach the reader
To motivate the student to read more and to apply the strategies taught
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

9. Conference goals for the student:
To apply reading strategies.
To develop metacognitive skills
To talk about books in a variety of ways, (e.g. author’s craft, character development, preferences).
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

10. Four Part Conference Structure
Research
What does the student know?
What does the student need to learn?
Decide
Select 1-2 things the student is ready to learn next.
Teach
Explain and model the strategy
And Record
Record what you taught and expect student to practice for follow-up at next conference.
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

11. Research, Decide, Teach and record
Date/Title/Level
What does the student know?
What does the student need to learn?
How can I teach this?
Jackal’s Flying Lesson
Reads well.
Retells and comprehends well.bbb
Read with question in mind
model
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

12. Time for Reading Surgery
Four domains for conferring:
Decoding
Comprehension
Fluency
Motivation
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

13. Conferring With Early Readers
Early readers have an independent/instructional level between Level A and Level F. (Gr. K-1)
Early readers:
rely heavily on picture cues
rely on pattern
developing high frequency words
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

14. Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008
Starting a book.
What does the student know about self as a reader?
Tell me how you chose this book.
Have you read any ____ books before?
How do you know this is a “just right” book?
What kinds of books do you like to read?
What do you do before you read a book?
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

15. Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008
Middle of a book.
Is the student actively engaged and applying strategies as needed?
Read a bit of the story to me.
Do a quick running record to analyze strategy use.
What is happening in the story so far?
What do you think might happen next?
Tell me about the characters.
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

16. Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008
End of the book.
Is the student thinking beyond the text?
What do you think about the story?
What was your favorite part? Why?
Did you make any connections to the story?
Retell what happened in the story.
What strategies did you use as a reader?
What was your favorite part of the story?
What will you read next?
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

17. Prompting for Strategy Use With Early Readers
Cueing systems readers use
Prompt across cueing systems to develop cross-checking independence
Phonics is important, however, an over-reliance handicaps students to be “glued to print.”
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

18. Cueing Systems Readers Use
Structure
Syntax
Meaning
Semantics
Does it sound right?
Does it make sense?
Does it look right?
Visual
Phonics
Adapted from: Marie Clay (1991).
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

19. Responding to Oral Reading Difficulties
PAUSE, PROMPT, PRAISE
Responding to Oral Reading Difficulties
PRAISE SUCCESSFUL STRATEGY USE
SPONTANEOUS
SELF-CORRECTION
Does that make sense?
Stops, does not attempt word.
PAUSE FOR 5 SECONDS
Does that sound right?
Can we say it that way?
Does that sound like book language?
Produces a word that doesn’t make sense.
PROMPT BY
TEACHER
Does that look like _____ ?
Do the letters match?
Produces a word that makes sense, but isn’t the printed word.
Something wasn’t quite right.
Try that again.
Allington, 1999
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

20. Prompt in at least two cueing systems to develop cross-checking
Text: The green toad is in the pond.
Student
Teacher Prompt
The green frog is in the pond.
The green toad in the pond.
The girl toad is in the pond.
The green tǒăd is in the pond.
The toad is green.
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

21. Role Playing To Prompt Early Readers
Partner work:
One partner reads text as student.
Second partner prompts with at least two cues to develop strategy use and cross-checking.
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

22. Discussion of Role Playing
What cues do you find yourself relying on?
What patterns did you notice the “student” doing?
What prompts did you use to help the student broaden their strategy use?
What would be the follow-up teaching?
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

23. Research, Decide, Teach and record
Date/Title/Level
What does the student know?
What does the student need to learn?
How can I teach this?
10/17 Dan the Flying Man (C)
How to look at the first letter and the picture.
Find parts in words – an, at.
Magnetic letters- make and break.
Find words in text with -an & -at
10/22 Tracks (C)
Enjoying books – Reading for meaning.
Still relying on first letter cue.. Used parts when prompted.
More work on parts of words – and, it, is. Is student looking at the last letter?
More practice with books so students can practice using parts in words.
10/24 At the Ball Park (D)
Reading for meaning.
Used parts of words independently.
Make sure she is rereading so that she gets the flow of the text.
Strategy group on how to reread when you have stopped to figure out an unfamiliar word.
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

24. Conferring with Transitional Readers
Transitional Readers have an instructional reading levels J-M. (Gr. 1-2)
Transitional readers are beginning to integrate cueing systems. Developing understanding of plot, characters, simple literary elements.
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

25. Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008
Starting a book.
What does the student know about self as a reader?
Tell me how you chose this book.
Have you read any other books by this author, series?
How do you know this is a “just right” book?
What kinds of books and topics do you like to read?
What do you do before you read a book?
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

26. Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008
Middle of a book.
Is the student engaged in purposeful reading? Is the student monitoring for meaning and using a variety of strategies?
How did you get back into the story from yesterday?
What is happening in the story now? Earlier?
Tell me about the character. Did the character change?
Take me to that part of the story.
Was there a part of the story that was confusing? What did you do to help yourself as a reader?
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

27. Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008
End of the book.
Is the student thinking beyond the text?
What do you think about the book?
Was it what you expected? Did you want it to be different?
Did you make any connections?
What did you learn about yourself as a reader?
Would you recommend this book? To whom?
What do you plan to read next?
What goals do you have for yourself as a reader?
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

28. Prompting to Develop Balanced Reading. Text: Magic Tree House
Teacher Inquiry
Student Response
Probable Problem
Teacher Prompt
Tell me how you chose this book.
Points to cover.
“I like dinosaurs and chapter books.”
Read a bit of the story to me.
Tell me about the characters.
 Student scans picture. “There is a boy and he is Nate. There is a cat and a girl.”
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

29. Prompt to develop balanced reading. Text: Magic Tree House
Teacher Inquiry
Student Response
Probable Problem
Teacher Prompt
Read a bit of the story to me.
How do you et back into the story from yesterday.
“I go to my bookmark so I know where I left off.”
What goals do you have for yourself as a reader?
“I want to read harder chapter books.”
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

30. Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008
Sample Reading Conference Notes: Student: Thomas
Date/Book Title/Level
What does the student know?
What does the student need to learn?
How can I teach this?
1/17 Zach Files (L)
Knows someone is speaking not always sure who.
Follow dialogue through sensory images and inferring.
Short text full of dialogue without references after characters are introduced initially.
Who's talking?
1/22
Stopping only sometimes to decode unknown words.
Is keeping pretty good track of details.
Wonder when you don't get something.
Stop when meaning is unclear and question.
Think aloud using short text- model stop and think-
Say huh?
1/24
Excited to finish.
Eagerly takes out book.
Stopped at "individual" got the meaning.
Chunked .
in • di •vid "oh individual!"
laughs at appropriate spots.
Choppy.
Notice end marks vs. question mark vs. !
Monologues: ( a short text that holds its own) poetry.
1/25
Time for Kids
Predicts when asked.
How to use non-fiction features to help set him up to read-
Read with expression.
Use a nonfiction article or section of a book and have students generate text features they notice.
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

31. Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008
Conferring tips…
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

32. #1. Talk about what you see the student doing at the moment.
I see you are laughing. What’s so funny?
I see you have lots of sticky notes in your book. What are you writing?
I see you’re reading the back of the book. Tell me about that--what kind of information does it give you?
I see you have selected many nonfiction text. What do you like about nonfiction?
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

33. #2. Talk about what you worked on last conference.
Last time we met, we talked about finding “just right” books. Share with me the books you selected. How do you know they are “just right?”
Last time we met, we worked on reading fluently and paying attention to the punctuation marks. Read this part aloud so I can hear how you’re doing…
Last time we worked on what you can do when you come to a word you don’t know. What can you do to figure out that word?
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

34. Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008
#3 Talk about that day’s focus lesson topic or the current unit of study.
In the focus lesson we practiced creating sensory images. Show me a place in the book where you could create a strong image.
We are learning about nonfiction. How do you read this page? What part do you read first?
We have been practicing retelling. Retell what you have read so far in the book.
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

35. #4 Ask 1 or more open-ended questions
How’s your reading going?
Tell me about this book…what’s it about? What’s happening so far in the story?
Tell me about the character in the story?
Why did you select this book?
Can I help you with anything in your reading?
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

36. #5 Try an over-the-shoulder read.
I want you to silently read the rest of this page, and I’m going to sit here beside you and read it silently to myself.
When you’re done, let’s talk about what you’re thinking.
Things to Notice
Silent Reading Rate—How long does it take for the student to finish reading that section silently?
Comprehension—Does the student understand the selection? What strategies does the student use?
Oral Reading (optional)--# of errors, fluency & phrasing
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008

37. Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008
Take Away Messages
Reading Conferences follow a Research, Decide, Teach, and Record format.
Four domains of reading: decoding, comprehension, fluency, and motivation.
Teach the reader not the book.
Conferences involve active teaching and follow-up.
Recording conference points helps students take responsibility and an active role in growing as a reader.
6. A reading conference is “reading surgery.”
7. As teachers we grow in our ability to confer. We start with a handful of strategies. Over time we develop a basketful.
Uretsky CACD Tufts University, 2008