Guided reading is a widely practiced strategy. In my article Guided Reading: A research-based Response to the Challenges of Reading Instrustion by Anita Iaquinta, defines and describes guided reading as a teaching approach used with all readers, struggling or independent, that has 3 fundamental purposes : 1) to meet the varring instructional needs of all students, 2) to teach students to read increasingly difficult text with understand and fluency, and 3) to construct meaning while using problem solving strategies for unfamilar words. I can remember being in elementary school and being in reading groups, and that certain groups would be reading the same things while a couple others would be reading something different than my group. I can remember my teachers makingus all read some portion of the text aloud and working with each other on certain activities pertaining to the text we were reading. At first these groups were intimidating, but once I saw that my friends were in the same boat as me, having to read aloud and have the teacher work with you, then it became more of a hlepful safe environment for me to progress as a reader.
After doing our wikis this week and finding ideas that pertain to keeping your students focused with movement, I think that having the seats at your reading table is a great way to get the kids comfortable with small group and makes it more fun while learning!
This website is really helpful with activity ideas, scedule and lesson ideas as well!
I also read this article, so I am not going to comment on the article itself. I really just wanted to say that I love the guided reading group poster and the bouncy balls for the actual group (even though I think this could be a distraction for some ages....you would have to have a very focused class to use them). The website was also really great, thanks for sharing all the good ideas!
ReplyDeleteI love your picture of the kids sitting on the big bouncy balls! What a fun way to get kids excited about guided reading groups. In one of the classrooms I observed, they used stools that the kids got to paint/decorate with whatever they wanted, and they LOVED sitting in their "special reading chairs". Great thoughts!
ReplyDeleteI actually read the same article- I found it really helpful! Love the examples you gave and thank you for sharing the website- that have some great ideas!!
ReplyDeleteI love the bouncy ball idea! I feel like this is a simple way for the children to "look forward" to guided reading time. I feel like the more comfortable they are, physically and mentally, the more likely they are to fully partcipate.
ReplyDeleteI really like the idea of using the medicine balls as seats! I think having special seats would make guiding reading very engaging. In the first grade classroom I work in, the children use plastic witch fingers to help them point as they follow along as each child reads aloud. It make the station engaging and the kids love the fingers! I always enjoyed guided reading in school because I felt like it was always very beneficial to my learning as I began to read. Thanks for the article! I really enjoyed the schedule and activity ideas!
ReplyDelete