Guided Practice for Guided Reading

One of my favorite online teaching resources is The Teaching Channel, a collection of videos, teacher Q&As, and other helpful tips on teaching. It has proven a particularly useful way for me to make sense of the multiple strategies, theories, and terms we have encountered during the course of our program. I thought it might be useful to the rest of the class to share what I found on the site about guided reading, one of the key elements of a comprehensive literacy framework discussed in Chapter 5 of Johnson and Keier's "Catching Readers Before They Fall" (2010). 

As Johnson and Keier tell us, guided reading is the practice of reading texts with children that are are appropriately challenging for their instructional level. The reading lists four important factors that we are to pay close attention to to support our struggling readers, including how to give supportive book introductions, choose a focus for a guided reading lesson, and how to schedule groups so struggling students get the attention they need. While I was not necessarily confused by the information presented in the text, as someone who learns best by interacting with and watching others, I wondered if The Learning Channel had a video that might help solidify my understanding. As it turns out, they have a whole series on guided reading! You can watch the overview of the series here.

Here, I'd like to focus on one episode of the series, "Small Group Guided Reading." (I'd embed the video if I had any idea how...) In this short video, Ms. Ogier conducts two meetings with small groups to give them explicit instruction to improve their reading skills and processes. One of the most helpful aspects of the video, I think, is the opportunity to observe the kinds of language Ms. Ogier uses during her instruction. That is, exactly how she points out what her students do well and how she supports them when their reading goes astray. For example, Ms. Ogier points out a successful strategy a student uses, saying:

Good job.  I like how April ... swapped the words right there, but then when she kept on reading, it didn't make sense, so she went back and she made it make sense.  Good. Good readers do that.     

The video also provides some insight into another aspect of guided reading--scheduling reading groups. Ms. Ogier explains:

During Guided Reading ... two things are happening. I'm pulling groups of scholars to directly meet their needs, and then the rest of the students are rotating in reader's workstations and working independently while I'm meeting with the Guided Reading groups.

Reading text about the action seen the video lessens its impact to be sure. However, in watching the video, we are provided a means of experiencing the clamor of a busy classroom and a few ways we might manage to tame it. And even affect student learning!  

A note: This video shows the guided reading practice of a fifth grade classroom. Although a grade or two beyond our current interests, I think the practices and strategies demonstrated in the video are still worthwhile.

Another note: I really love how she addresses her students as "scholars." I'm definitely stealing that.

References:

Johnson, P., & Keier, K. (2010). Catching readers before they fall: Supporting readers who struggle, K-4. Stenhouse Publishers.