Guided Reading Assignment

Guided reading is an instruction method that helps students learn about strategies and tools they can use to become skilled independent readers.  It involves placing students into small groups in which each student is of a similar reading level.  The group reads a book that is at their reading level (not below or above) under the supervision of a teacher.  The teacher interacts with the students to teach and model good reading strategies before, during, and after reading the book.

Before Reading	During Reading	After Reading
The teacher introduced the book and its topic. She connected the book to a topic the class has been learning about. Students made comments about what they saw on the cover, & the teacher encouraged them to make predictions about the text. She read the title and then the group read the title aloud together. Students made predictions. They went through each page together and looked at the pictures to find clues and connected them with their background knowledge. For the main word on each page, the teacher asked what sound it made at the beginning and then had them find it on the page.  She also did the same for reoccurring words.  She asked the students to find words on the pages that they already knew. She also helped them notice punctuation marks, their meanings, and how to read the sentence correctly.  She tells students to use the picture & text to find out what they’re reading.	Each student read quietly aloud. The teacher visited briefly with each student. -          Helped students with difficult words by sounding out the word and repeating it several times. -          Helped them notice pictures while reading. -          Took notes -          Had students reread and/or repeat words that they struggled with The students were encouraged to reread the book if they finished reading it before the teacher finished visiting with each student.	The teacher points out & provides examples of specific things that good readers should do: -          Make sure sounds at beginning & end of the word match what you are saying -          Go back & reread if something isn’t making sense -          Use the pictures to help guide your reading They played a word game together. -          She provided pictures of the weather they read about and cards with single letters on them -          She guided the students in figuring out what sounds each letter made and matching them to the pictures (1 letter for beginning sound & 1 letter for ending sound) -          The students provided the answers with guidance from the teacher when needed. She congratulated the students for doing a great job and gave each a high five.

Overall, I really enjoyed watching the video because I loved how enthusiastic the teacher was! I also thought she did a great job at taking comments from each child in the beginning and then moving on with the activity.  You could tell that her excitement was helping the students stay focused and interactive.  The only thing I noticed was that she didn't spend much time visiting with each student. I probably would've spent just a little more time and listened to them read more than just one page, but I understand that lack of time is a major factor in education.  I also felt that some of the students were not getting a chance to participate in the game at the end.  This may be because they were struggling to understand.  The other students were eagerly shouting out answers which is great because it means they are comprehending and motivated, but I think it also would've been beneficial to have students raise their hands to answer.  This way the teacher could notice those who weren't understanding and help guide them through achieving the answer.

Reading A-Z looks like a great resource for teachers planning guided reading lessons.  With a membership, teachers have access to a huge supply of leveled books which are perfect for guided reading.  You can find fiction and nonfiction books and books that come with a guided reading lesson, Common Core lesson, reader's theater script, and even worksheets that focus on comprehension and phonics.  I imagine that finding a wide variety of books at a specific level can become difficult, so it's great that this website makes it so easy.  I could see myself using this site to order books for guided reading, get guides on how to implement guided reading, and simply get ideas to make lesson planning just a little bit simpler.  I especially love that you can get the books in a projectable format which saves paper and could make instruction easier!

Striving for Excellence

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When many people (non-teachers) talk to me about teaching, they often believe it's as simple as following the provided teaching manuals for each subject.  It is so much more than that, though, especially when it comes to teaching reading.  Reading is such a dynamic process, and I feel there is so much more I can do as a teacher to provide the best instruction possible.  Pinnell (2006) and the International Reading Association (2000) both agree on many of the most important steps teachers should take in the classroom in order to become excellent reading teachers.  They believe reading teachers should understand reading development, read aloud daily, implement word study, continually assess student progress using several methods, alter teaching methods and groupings when needed, gain additional professional development, create community, and enjoy reading and writing with students.  In addition, the International Reading Association says that excellent teachers need to be able to combine instructional methods and understand how to scaffold instruction. 

This isn't the first time I've heard these suggestions, because these steps really embody what we've discussed during class throughout the semester.  I've learned how to address each component of reading, ways to motivate my future students, methods of instruction, and methods of assessing.  I've also come to understand that in order to improve students' reading, my instruction needs to be as dynamic as the process of learning to read itself.  Reading has always been such a big part of my life, and I want to be able to share that enjoyment with my students.  I want to make a difference, like most teachers; by using these ideas to guide my teaching, I believe teaching reading might just be one way I can.   

     

Assessment

Standardized test taking has been common in classrooms for quite a long time.  I think we all can remember taking a few of them throughout our education whether it was TCAPs, the ACT, or something similar.  However, I recall looking over my test results and thinking that my knowledge wasn't being accurately depicted.  The truth is that perhaps it wasn't.

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Rubin (2011) believes that the best way to determine a child's reading level is not through standardized test alone but rather through comparing results from several assessment methods.  I completely agree with this, because every child learns or shows their strengths in different ways.  Every method measures reading ability in a different way which provides a more complete picture of a students reading level.  Multiple assessments also help teachers pinpoint specific deficiencies.  If a student scores similarly on each assessment, you can be fairly confident labeling them with a certain level.  However, if a student's scores are varied, you can better determine what their specific strengths and weaknesses are.  Rubin suggests using assessments like standardized tests, the cloze test, Informal Reading Inventories, and running records to place students into the reading levels of independent, instructional, and frustration.  I wonder, though, are there additional assessments teachers can use? Are three levels enough to accurately categorize students?  

Guided Reading

A few years ago when I was volunteering in a third-grade classroom, I remember observing an interesting reading activity.  The teacher introduced a book and then split the class into small groups. Some groups read silently while some read aloud.  The teacher worked with each group individually to help students self-correct their reading, make predictions, aid in problem solving, etc.  I was intrigued by the activity because I loved how independently the students worked, but that their teacher was nearby to provide help and guide their discussion. 

After reading an article by Anita Iaquinta (2006), I realized that this activity was an example of guided reading.  According to her, guided reading is the process of teachers guiding students as they read in order to teach them skills like how to self-monitor, confirm reading, and solve new word meanings which are all important for independent reading. I really liked one point that Iaquinta makes in the article. She points out that no single text will "fit them all."  Students all read at different abilities, so placing students into thoughtfully planned small groups can really benefit their reading.  A dynamic and developmentally similar group is most ideal, and teachers should continually monitor students' changes in reading and alter groups accordingly. Using guided reading is a great way to help level the playing field among students and give each the tools they need to become good independent readers.

Questions to think on: 

1. Do you remember your teachers doing guided reading or similar activities?

2. What should teachers consider when selecting books for guided reading? How do you select a book that is not too challenging or too simple for all group members?

Also, check out these examples of prompts that would be a great tool for teachers to reference.

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Real-Life Reading Inquiry

For my Real-Life Reading Inquiry assignment, I worked with two third-grade students at a local elementary school.  I wanted to explore reading fluency and methods of assessing it.  Of the two students, one was considered to have high fluency while the other was considered to have low fluency according to their teacher.  I spent one-on-one time with each student in a quiet location.  I had them read to me from books from their book boxes, read passages at their grade level that I supplied in order to calculate their WCPM (words correct per minute), and asked follow-up questions about what they read to me.  Through these methods, I was able to better understand their reading fluency levels.

First, let me provide the results of each student’s assessments.  Both read the same grade-level appropriate passage, but ended with different WCPMs.  The high-fluency student read 146 words correctly in one minute and 141 words correctly per minute when including the duration it took to read the entire passage.  This student read with 99.6% accuracy.  Conversely, the low-fluency student read 84 words correctly in one minute and 74 WPCM for the entire passage.  This student read with 98.4% accuracy.  The high-fluency student read above and the low-fluency student read within the normal oral fluency range for third-graders which is 44-99 WCPM according to Theresa Deeney in her 2010 article “One-Minute Fluency Measures: Mixed Messages in Assessment and Instruction” (446).   Deeney also notes that one-minute assessments fail to note how readers perform over an extended period of  time (447).  My observations agree with her statement; although it is slight and still within normal range, both students show a decline in their number of WCPM when assessed for a time greater than one minute.

My results from above made me question why their teacher had placed the students at two different levels of reading fluency even though both were reading within normal ranges.  Timothy Rasinski notes in his 2004 article “Creating Fluent Readers” that an additional dimension of reading fluency is prosodic reading (46).  One way he suggests measuring this is by using the Multidimensional Fluency Scale (49).  This rubric aids teachers in measuring expression/volume, phrasing, smoothness, and pace of students’ reading.  Through continued observations and using the scale, I began noticing several differences in the students that helped me better understand why they had varying fluency levels.   

For example, the low-fluency student read simply to get the words out, did not fluctuate their voice, spoke quietly, struggled with several words and needed help figuring them out, and read at a rather slow pace.  Using the scale, they scored around a nine out of sixteen.  The high-fluency student was quite the opposite.  They read with lots of expression, at a conversation-like volume and pace, read in sentence units, and were able to resolve any difficulties on their own.  Their score was a sixteen out of sixteen.  Rasinski states that “scores of eight or above indicate that the student is making good progress in fluency” (49).  Though both are improving, I find it amazing how much more information this scale provided compared to simply using a one-minute assessment.  After this assessment, it was much clearer that the high-fluency student has made more progress than the low-fluency student.  Additionally, I could better pinpoint what aspects of fluency the low-fluency student struggled most with such as expression and pace.

Deeney also notes that fluency includes comprehension (440).  By asking questions about the passages and observing, I was able to get an idea of each student’s level of comprehension.  The high-fluency student was quickly able to answer simple questions and was eager to make comments.  They even connected the passage to a similar event in their own life.  In addition, they laughed as they were reading when humorous parts occurred which indicated to me that they were comprehending while reading.  The low-fluency student, however, was less able to answer questions or discuss the passage which made me question whether he understood what he had read.  By looking into their level of comprehension, I realized that it is an important factor in determining reading fluency and problems that might be hindering a student's ability to become a fluent reader.    

During my observations and interactions with these two students, I was able to better understand how to go about measuring reading fluency.  I realized that it is a complex concept that includes not only accuracy, but also rate, prosody, and comprehension.  While a one-minute assessment gave me a basic understanding of their fluency, I agree with Deeney and Rasinski that further observations provide even more useful information.  I see the benefits of measuring the multiple dimensions of fluency, because it identifies the specific areas students are either struggling or excelling in.  In turn, this information allows teachers to provide the proper instruction students need in order to improve and become more fluent readers.  As a future educator, I plan on implementing assessments that take into account all the dimensions of fluency in order to best evaluate and instruct my students.  

Be a Word-Conscious Teacher

As a child, I remember sitting on my mom's lap on a Sunday afternoon while she worked on the crossword puzzle (always in pen) in the local paper.  Anytime she got stuck on a word, she'd ask me to grab the dictionary and help her.  Not only did I learn how to use a dictionary, but I increased my vocabulary in a fun way.  Even to this day, I still enjoy doing crossword puzzles.  I was lucky to have been brought up in a family that encouraged vocabulary learning, however, I know that many of my future students will not have an extensive vocabulary due to different home environments.  So how can I provide vocabulary instruction and help close the gap between students? Blachowicz and Fisher (2004) suggest four ways to teach vocabulary.

1.) Develop word awareness and love of words through word play.
Modeling vocabulary is one of the best ways teachers can introduce vocabulary. Through this method, even students as young as kindergartners can become comfortable using words highly above their level (Lane & Allen, 2010).  Teachers should also use activities that motivate students and make learning new words fun.  Below is a rather lengthy video, but it provides an example of a really creative idea!  Have students put on a vocabulary parade!  They research words, create a costume, definition, and sentence using the word, and then put on a parade for the school.

2.) Deliver explicit, rich instruction to develop important vocabulary.
Teachers should select important words, teach definitional, contextual, and usage information about the words, connect them to their previous knowledge, have students use them, and revisit them through activities such as games and writing.

3.) Build strategies for independence.
Just as my mom taught me how to use a dictionary, I should teach my students how to do the same.  In the world of technology, Dalton & Grisham (2011) suggest using online dictionaries.  Many are made for use by kids like Enchanted Learning's picture dictionary.  I like that this site is easy enough for young students to be able to look up words all on their own, and I believe students will learn much more if they discover answers to their questions all on their own.  I wonder, though, what other strategies students can use independently?

4.) Engage students actively with a wide range of books.
The internet can be a great tool to use in addition to book clubs, independent reading, and library time. Teachers can provide their students with a range of informational texts through several websites suggested by Daltonn & Grisham (2011) such as Time for Kids and Science News for Kids.

Teaching Comprehension

When I was in elementary school, I remember having to read stories and then complete worksheets that included questions about the book.  Some questions would be simple facts, but others were more complex and difficult.  After listening to my teachers think aloud and explain their strategies for reading the text and answering the questions, it all made more sense to me.  I comprehended text better once they taught me ways to do so which actually makes perfect sense.  How can we test for comprehension without first teaching our students how to comprehend?  Gill (2008) stresses the importance of directly teaching comprehension strategies and suggests using the Comprehension Matrix when planning instruction, because it takes into consideration the reader, the text, and the situation during prereading, reading, and postreading activities.  Some strategies that should be taught include connecting, questioning, visualizing, inferring, predicting, and evaluating.  Gregory and Cahill (2010) even point out that students as young as kindergartners are capable of learning these.  

Check out this idea I found and can't wait to try!  Anytime students use one of the comprehension strategies, they can fill out a "Thinkmark".

For these free printables click here!

You can use a few or all of the strategies and come up with your own codes for them depending on grade levels and personal preference.  Then get a discussion going by having students share and compare their Thinkmarks after reading.

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Here's a question: Do you think Thinkmarks could also be beneficial when students are reading for social studies or science?