Artifact Eight: Guided Reading
Guided reading is a practice that I use with my students on a daily basis.
The children are engaged in developmentally appropriate groups so that they
receive the instruction that they need to further their reading abilities.
Context:
Guided reading is actively participated in on a daily basis so that the students are able to use strategies that they are learning or have just learned to practice in a level reader that they are able to negotiate. By reading in small group, the students are with children of similar needs and also are very comfortable when they decide to step up and take risks. A guided reading lesson is includes a framework of what should be covered with the students; however, there is plenty of room to modify and adjust according to needs that arise.
Standards:
● Standard A: Instructional Expertise
As an educator who has used a balanced literacy approach, which includes guided reading, I firmly believe that the students gain more usable reading instruction when they are working in small groups with leveled readers. I have done guided reading groups with a basal and also with the leveled readers. I prefer the leveled readers because they are interesting and the authors use natural text. Students must be engaged to perform at their best and book selection for guided reading is key.
● Standard B: Knowledge of the Learners
Listening to the students every day gives me a look into their thoughts. Not only am I able to assist with the improvement of their strategies, I am also able to praise learning and encourage risk-taking in a safe environment. By listening to each student, I am immediately able to detect inconsistencies in their learning in order to provide mini lessons or independent instruction while conferencing with each student.
Gay Su Pinnell and Irene Fountas have been instrumental in how I have set up my classroom for guided reading. Through continued research and guidance from their research, I have been able to continue my guided reading with confidence that it is what students need.
● Standard D: Content Knowledge
The leveled readers that I use are excellent for the student because I preview each one to guarantee the success of the students and also to make sure the text will be interesting to the students. Children learn better and are able to connect their learning to their lives if the text deals with some of the same things that they deal with. Previewing the literature ensures that the texts will be correct matches for the students.
● Standard E: Professional Development and Leadership
This semester, our school is in the process of implementing guided reading as a whole campus-wide initiative. We have been to workshops, have had individual instructional coaches providing guidance and also have purchased a wide array of fiction and non-fiction leveled readers. For those of us already using guided reading in our classrooms, we now have a strong bond with many colleagues are also have the necessary supplies for instruction.