Helen Reed - Blog Post 7 (March/April): Routman Ch. 10 - Examine Guided Reading

When it comes to implementing reading in my classroom, guided reading is something which I am still working at. Routman’s chapter provided me with some useful thoughts and suggestions, which makes me feel more comfortable, and confident, about continuing to have guided reading groups in my classroom. Guided reading provides that extra opportunity for students who need that little extra practice before they do it independently. I have some students who cannot stay focused during a whole-group lesson.  Their guided reading time is when they relearn a strategy or skill. For other students, they feel more comfortable in a small group setting so they are more likely to open up in a discussion and share their thoughts.

Something which I have not been doing is providing a follow-up, independent activity to a guided reading group. We will finish with a discussion or a sticky note response, and then I’ll send the students on their way to independent read and get the next group. I think I do this though because I do not have a diverse selection of guided reading texts. I tend to use the same text with most of my groups. I have used some leveled non-fiction articles, but otherwise, we will use the same text. For my lower readers, I provide them more support, and for my higher readers, less support.

 

Another thing I struggle with guided reading groups is the length. Most of the texts I have take much longer than 15 minutes to get through. Once we preview the text, start reading, discuss, and then respond, it could go on and on. Along with acquiring a diverse selection, I need to find some shorter texts. I know I could make copies of just a chapter or selection from a text, but that requires a lot of preparation and knowledge of a book/passage that would fit the specific topic I’m teaching.

I think if I had a larger selection, I would be able to provide that follow-up activity to students to complete and then that would help hold me accountable to meet more regularly with the groups. If they had something to do, they would want to come back and share that, which would make me meet with my guided reading groups more regularly. But using what materials I have, I’m going to first work on shortening the time spent in groups, and second, creating a follow-up activity for students to complete.