Guided Reading by Julia Millin

In reading workshop teachers have had the opportunity to develop their young students reading skills through partner reading, shared reading, and one-to-one conferences. During the reading workshop, the teacher is also expected to work with students in small groups. The groups are formed based on the students’ needs which have been determined from ongoing teacher assessment and observation.

The purpose of guided reading is to help students of the same ability develop strategies to strengthen their reading skills. The teacher carefully guides or coaches students through a piece of literature by asking questions or giving prompts. The teacher should use this time to encourage students to think about and respond to what they are reading. Effective guided reading is interactive, with teacher and student involved in the process.

Following is a list of some components involved in guided reading.

IN GUIDED READING…

• grouping size should be about 5 students.
• students are generally grouped by the same reading level.
• grouping should change according to the needs and growth of the students.
• teachers choose the text to be used.
• text can be at the students’ instructional level or slightly above independent reading level.
• the teacher begins the lesson by introducing an overview of the book or text.
• students read the text while the teacher coaches.
• generally, the teaching point comes at the end of the session.
• teachers should direct their questions and students’ discussion to achieve the outcomes required.
• teachers should assess the students before grouping in order to make appropriate guided reading groups.
• books can be placed in students book baggies so the can reread the text.
• the teacher must always think about next steps for each groups’ guided reading session.
• the teacher should meet with each group at least once a week.
• the focus could be to introduce or to develop a particular concept or strategy.

Guided reading is an instructional reading strategy that, when done successfully, will help students develop comprehension skills and strategies as well as motivate students to read independently.

For more information on Guided Reading read, Guided Reading: Good First Teaching for All Children by Irene Fountas & Guy Su Pinnell.

Do you have a question or comment about this article? E-mail Julia.

See also:
Grouping for Guided by Reading by Miriam Bissu

Conducting a Guided Reading Lesson by Allison Demas

TeachersNetwork.org has many articles on this subject. Type in guided reading in our Google powered search engine (in the top right hand corner of most pages) for an extensive list.