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Guided Reading Guided Reading is a component of Comprehensive Literacy that generally happens during a Reading Workshop or Centering period. This form of small group reading instruction has utilized for many years, with references to it in educational literature as early as 1979 in Don Halldoway's book Becoming Literate. There are many misconceptions about what guided reading entails, with many teachers incorrectly believing they are using guided reading simply by conducting small groups. Guided reading is one teacher working with 3-6 children who are currently alike in their reading behaviors. Children are grouped by reading text levels OR at times are in more strategy-focused groups that span reading levels (with the lowest child in the group still able to process the text). Teachers give a brief, but detailed introduction to the reading material, noting plot and text features that will guide them towards successful comprehension. The introduction often includes focused vocabulary and phonics development and may also include strategy prompts as well as a focus for the children to read towards. The introduction is both necessary and important for all guided reading groups and children reading in small groups without an introduction are not, in fact, engaged in guided reading. After the introduction, each child reads the entirety of the book or selection on his/her own while the teacher listens to one or two children read softly as s/he takes a running record or anecdotal notes on the processing. Sometimes children are sent back to their seats to read or the teacher may exit the group to confer with other readers in the room and return when the small group is ready. In primary classes, developing readers up to about Level G are not yet able to read to themselves silently, and this group looks somewhat different in those cases. Children read aloud--not taking turns, but simultaneously or in a staggered fashion. When the reading is complete and all participants have processed the text on their own, the group reconvenes for discussion purposes. The discussions center on comprehension but also on the focus, strategies or processing of these readers. These discussion provide rich opportunities for teachers to check on children's reading development and s/he is capturing some of the conversations or behaviors by recording them in anecdotal notes. Subsequent reading may be assigned (with an introduction, of course) and/or some type of extension may be required. Guided reading is essential in that it provides the critical combination of:
For forms that help with implementation of guided reading, click here. For a document that explains the components of a guided reading lesson, click here. For research that supports the use of guided reading, click here. |