Guided Reading

Guidance and Materials for developing Guided Reading in your School

March 2013

What is Guided Reading?

Guided reading is an approach where the teacher supports each reader’s development of effective strategies for processing new texts at increasingly challenging levels of difficulty.

In Guided Reading:

  • There is a clearly defined purpose to the reading ie clear learning intentions
  • Children work on small groups of 6-8 for 10-20 mins depending on age and ability
  • Children are grouped according to their reading abilities, needs and the purpose of the session
  • The teacher guides the reading but the role may vary
  • The children all read the same text which is assigned by the teacher and is unfamiliar to the children
  • The children read at their own pace while the teacher ‘tunes into’ selected children during the session
  • Most of the reading is done silently – reading aloud is used for substantiation.

(adapted from First Steps; NLS Edition)

Guided Reading enables children to:

  • Use their reading skills in a supportive setting
  • Compare their interpretations of the text with others
  • Practise strategies for developing comprehension
  • Read silently and think critically in a cooperative environment
  • Receive support as they monitor their own reading

(adapted from First Steps; NLS Edition)

The Elements of Guided Reading

•Learning Intentions - opportunity to practise and demonstrate knowledge, skills and understanding for reading

•Book introduction – title, author, illustrator, predictions, blurb, make connections to children’s prior experiences, picture flick

•Scaffolding the learning – draw attention to significant or unusual words, phrases or concepts

•Strategy check – remind about strategies to problem solve unknown words or strategies to aid comprehension

•Independent reading – to themselves, by themselves, at their own pace (teacher works with a couple of pre-selected children, records observations.)

•Returning to the text – use effective questioning to establish children’s understanding of the text ; children justify answers by finding evidence in the text and reading aloud

•Evaluation – decide how well the Learning Intention has been met , what needs to be developed further , explain follow up activity if appropriate

Guided reading needs to be set within the process for developing reading.

Familiarisation: reading is set in context so that children become familiar with the theme, topic, genre and/or language

Problem-solving: children have opportunities to try out strategies, see patterns in genre or language, hypothesise

Modelled: the teacher demonstrates specific strategies as identified in the Learning Intention(s) and verbalises thinking. Keep the session short, sharp and focused.

Shared: teacher and children work together . Again keep the session short sharp and focused.

Guided: The children have the opportunity to ‘practise’ the understanding, skills and concepts they have undertaken in modelled and shared reading

Independent

The choice of text is crucial as it needs to challenge the children but not be so difficult that they cannot manage to read it without a high level of support.

The Three Reading Levels

(In Guided Reading children should read at the instructional level)

In 1957 Betts identified three reading levels, levels that have changed little since that time.

  • Independent

-not more than one word recognition error per 100 words

-comprehension of 90%+

-reading well-phrased with natural intonation

-freedom from tension and anxiety

  • Instructional

-not more than one word recognition error per 20 words

-comprehension of at least 75%

-after silent study, reads the passage in a conversational tome with proper phrasing and without tension

  • Frustrational

-errors and refusals to attempt to read difficult words are numerous, as many as 10%

-comprehension is less than half what is read

-tension, distractibility, withdrawal from task

  • Read alone:97% accur
  • Read with:90% - 97% accuracy
  • Being read to:less than 90% accuracy.

What strategies/ skills/ are you teaching? / Teaching Approach / What texts will you use? / How and when will you assess reading strategies? / How often will you work with a group? / How will you manage each group? / Home Reading
Dependent on current learning intention. / Modelled
Shared
Guided / A *text or part of text, which everyone can see and is within their level of comprehension
A text or part of a text which everyone can see which may be above independent reading level.
Individual copies of the same text.
Text should be unfamiliar and
at instructional level, i.e. which children can read with 90-94% accuracy / Observing children’s level of engagement
Observing children’s participation and
appropriateness of contributions
Monitor progress to assess: consolidation of learning from modelled and shared reading
- independent use of strategies to actively problem-solve text
- developing understanding and making connections
- explore themes and ideas
Use of running records when appropriate /
2-3 times per week Approx 20 mins / Whole-class –teacher reads, demonstrating and verbalizing the knowledge skills and understanding as identified in the learning intentions
Whole-class or small group
Teacher and children share the reading; teacher takes the lead acting on contributions from the children
Ability groups, (max 8 chn.)
-teacher introduces text and revisits learning intentions identified in modelled and shared sessions
- children read to themselves, by themselves, at their own pace
-teacher observes and guides at the point of need
**It is not necessary to focus on each child in each session
Following reading, return to text and discuss with whole-group.
Use of effective questioning to establish understanding.
While teacher works with one group, other children work independently, e.g. using a task board. / Supporting modelled and shared reading, parents read to and with their children from a range of texts, e.g. library books and familiar texts
Independent texts, i.e. which children can read with 95% + accuracy.
The guided reading text can go home when completed and/or texts at a similar level.

*the term ‘text’ includes interactive texts. Plan to cover a range of texts eg non-fiction, poetry, plays ** teacher should select one or two children to work with and observe

Planning a Guided Reading Session in KS1 and KS2

(Yr1 and Yr2 see Language and Literacy in the Foundation Stage)

Consider the Learning Intentions /
  • Revisit current learning intentions from modelled and shared sessions.
  • Consider the specific learning needs of this group.

Book Introduction
(Keep short and snappy)
Recap for subsequent readings, if necessary, /
  • How will you tap into the children’s prior knowledge/experience, e.g. use of the blurb, discussion about the author, the title.
  • How will you support the children to make connections within an area of learning, across the curriculum or to real life meaningful contexts
  • How will you plan for the transfer of learning eg understanding how an author uses setting should be transferred into the children’s writing

Scaffolding unfamiliar language/ concepts, etc. /
  • What, in this text, might present particular difficulty for this group?

Strategy Check /
  • What strategies might the children need to be reminded of? e.g. read on, read back, sound across the word. (Elicit from the children, where possible.)
  • In KS 2 continue to develop Independent reading Strategies.

Independent Reading /
  • Decide which children you will work with individually.
  • Plan to observe and evaluate one or two children’s level of independence in the application of their knowledge, skills and understanding.
  • Allow time to record observations which are significant to those children progress.
  • At KS2 children may have read the text independently prior to the guided session.

Returning to the text /
  • Identify which aspects of the text are to be revisited based on learning intentions or significant elements of the text.
  • Consider the focus of discussion to develop comprehension.
  • Plan some key questions which will extend and challenge the children’s thinking
  • Plan to use different types of questions and allow time for children to ask questions
  • Encourage the children to return to the text for evidence to support their answers
  • Allow time to address specific observations made.

Evaluation: focus for future teaching and learning /
  • Decide where the learning may need to be further developed
  • Plan appropriate experiences to consolidate or extend learning.

Questioning

‘A reader with no questions might just as well abandon the book.’ Strategies that Work by Harvey and Goudvis

Questioning is a critical strategy that helps readers make meaning by promoting critical thinking about what is being read. Questioning occurs as a natural part of the classroom routine as teachers encourage children to pose, discuss, and answer questions. Questions can be generated by the reader, a peer or the teacher.

Questions with different purposes can be asked and answered before, during, and after reading.

Before children read, they often use questions to activate prior knowledge, make predictions, and wonder about big ideas that are not answered in the text.

During reading, children form questions to compare and generalise, identify the theme, and clarify meaning.

After they read, children use questioning to locate information, understand and remember events and characters, and identify the theme.

Three Types of Questions

There are three key types of questions:

  • ‘Right there’ questions (text explicit). These are literal questions where the answer is in the text itself.
  • ‘Think and search’ questions (text implicit). The answer is implicit in the text but the child must synthesise, infer, or summarise to find the answer. Think and search questions tend to be more open-ended without set answers.(see attached sheet of open ended questions)
  • ‘On my own’ questions (text implicit or experience-based). The reader needs to generate the answer from his or her prior knowledge. The answer needs the reader to combine his or her own experiences with what the text states, i.e. the knowledge presented by the author. The reader may not necessarily need to read the text to answer, but the answer would certainly be shaped differently after reading the text.

When discussing texts in KS2 the questions and statements should be genuinely exploratory in tone eg;

•What do you think?

•What makes you think that?

•What words give you that impression?

•How do you know?

•How can you find out?

•Can you explain why…….?

•How do you feel about……..?

•Is there anything that puzzles you?

•Do you have a reason for saying that? How can you be sure?

•Is this always so?

•Can you think of different ways to . . . ?

•Is there another reason / idea / way?

•What if . . . ?

•Where is there another example of this?

•What do you think happens next?

•What do you think of that answer?

•Can you explain how you got to that answer?

•Which is the odd one out and why?

•I wonder why the author has decided to ……

•Are there any patterns you notice (eg images, story structure)?

Managing the class during Guided Reading

“All other members of class must be engaged in meaningful literacy. They must be able to function without teacher assistance, maintaining and managing their own learning. It will not be productive (or even efficient) for children to be doing busy work like colouring or fill in the blank worksheets. Research does not support such activities, and too much learning time is lost when the management plan relies on them”

(Fountas and Pinnell)

Setting up a task board

The task board is a classroom management tool used to promote independence and allow time for the teacher to work with a group of children with the minimum interruption.

Children work independently and collaboratively through a number of purposeful activities which are appropriate for their group. The activities may be differentiated by;

-task

-outcome

-resource.

Children are expected to complete core tasks and move through others at their own pace. Children need to be aware of the learning focus and be familiar with the activities and resources before they can use the task board independently.

The activities should provide opportunities for individual, paired and group work to promote independence and collaboration.

Getting started

  • Establish a climate in the classroom where children are encouraged to have-a-go, to do things for themselves (even though it may not be done as well as you would like!) and where they know how to seek alternative sources of help ( eg a ‘buddy’)
  • Set up your groups – try to keep the numbers relatively small (eg. 6-8) and keep the number of groups manageable.
  • Design your task board – it doesn’t have to be highly creative but it should be attractive and easily understood by the children. It’s a good idea to have tasks and name cards on Velcro or Blutak so that there is room to be flexible. Choose/design icons that are easily interpreted – it’s a good idea to jointly plan and construct the task board with the children so that you can use some of their suggestions. Alternatively, you can photograph children engaged in the activities and use the photographs on your task board. It is possible to start small and gradually build up the range of activities on offer.
  • You may need to plan for using different areas of your room eg an art/craft related activity will need to have easily accessed resources.
  • Develop a plan for teaching the children to use the task board and engage independently in the activities. Sometimes at the start you may simply ‘practise’ using the task board without introducing the guided reading session.
  • It may take up to six weeks to establish the routine – it will depend on what has been done in previous years and on the nature of the children themselves. However this is time well spent and will make the development of your guided reading sessions much easier in the long run.

Task board activities

The activities should be literacy related, balanced (eg between reading and writing, written and practical/oral, noisy and quiet) and purposeful and have a focus on the children’s learning. There should be some element of choice with tasks differentiated to match the needs of the children in the class. It is expected that the children do not interrupt when the teacher is working with a group so this is a routine you should try to establish right from the start.

The outcome for the activities should be clear and children should have the opportunity to share what they have done in a plenary session from time to time.

Possible Suggestions for Task Board Activities

(See “First Steps” for further ideas)

Reading Tasks

  • reading the books in their book boxes to themselves and to a friend;
  • reading books from the class library, including the topic books;
  • reading big books, joke books, poems, and song charts
  • listening to stories or songs on audiotapes or CDs- (Listening Station)

Writing Tasks

  • brainstorming the ideas the writer might have used filling in a chart showing the problem and resolution in a narrative
  • writing a response to a text
  • writing a new ending or a new title
  • writing captions for photographs
  • sequencing pictures from text and writing simple captions
  • drawing and labelling story maps/ story boards
  • writing character studies
  • completing tasks that require the use of reference books, for example adding specific features to a map
  • write a note to your friend explaining why they should read this book.

Talking and Listening

  • Make up 3 questions you could ask your partner about the plot, character etc
  • Pretend you are one of the character’s in the book – what might they say, how would they say it. Role play a scene with your partner
  • Hot seat a character or the author/ interview
  • In Pairs discuss what was Positive, Minus or Interesting about their book

Word Tasks

  • Looking in magazines, newspapers for words with particular sound or ending
  • Making words/ sounds using play dough
  • Use the “move cube” for games with new vocabulary
  • playing spelling and word games, including some on computers
  • use of thesaurus/dictionary; matching topic words with their meanings; using words in a different context
  • Magnetic letters White boards
  • Write down three new words that you have learnt from this book
  • Sand timer- use your book to write as many words with the target sound

ICT work

  • Bee Bot/Pro Bot activities
  • Digital camera
  • Word games and puzzles
  • Range of software e.g. 2 Create a Story
  • Talking Stories ( CD Rom )

Art work

  • Draw the character
  • Design the character’s home
  • Design/make simple paper bag or shadow puppets to retell the story or create a play
  • Design a poster to advertise the book –write 2 captions explaining why people should buy it.
  • Draw/ paint your interpretation of a descriptive passage/ poem

Art work
/ Bee – Bot
/ Computer

Writing Tasks / Reading Tasks
/ Listening Station

Guided Reading
/ Word Tasks
/ Games

Tracking Pupil Progress in Guided Reading