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Tips for Getting Your Guided Reading Groups Started | Scholastic

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Third grade teacher, Genia Connell gives tips and demonstrates techniques for setting up guided reading groups.

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Teaching Tools | Resources for Teachers from Scholastic

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Have you ever heard the term balanced literacy? It's been around for many years. What exactly is it? And does it still apply to teaching, even after all these years?

Find links to the posts in this series at the END of this post.

*This post contains affiliate links.

What is Balanced Literacy?

Balanced literacy came along in response to the more extreme teachings of whole language and heavy phonics-based instruction. In the whole language approach, literacy skills were mostly taught IN the context of real reading and writing. Phonics-based instruction swung the opposite direction to teach literacy skills mostly OUT of the context of real reading and writing.

When balanced literacy came along in the 1990's, the purpose was to find a better balance (hence the name "balanced") by mixing the two extremes. But as the years have passed, it has come to mean MUCH more than just finding a good blend between whole language and phonics-based instruction.
Balanced literacy includes balancing these 3 important components when teaching reading and writing: 1- Teacher MODELS (I do)
2- Teacher SUPPORTS learners as they practice it (we do)
3- Learners WORK INDEPENDENTLY (you do)
Below, I'm going to break down these three components for reading and writing so you can see how it all fits into a balanced classroom setting. By the way, this framework works well for classroom teachers, homeschoolers, and tutors.

*Be sure to download the handy 1-page printable freebie towards the end of this post that has all this info in it!

Balanced Literacy in Reading

In the next few weeks, The Measured Mom and I will be unpacking many of the reading practices, so be sure to stay tuned!

1- Teacher MODELS READING (I do)

Read Alouds - Read alouds typically happen whole group. During a read aloud, you take on most of the responsibility as you model things like comprehension strategies, fix up strategies, fluency, and much more! Of course, we can make our read alouds interactive by asking for feedback from our learners, but the teacher is heavily involved.

Some of my absolute favorite read alouds are included in my 50+ Books to Model Comprehension.

Teachers can model these strategies during a simple read aloud (I usually read aloud while my learners are eating snack) or as a mini-lesson, where you plan ahead a certain skill or strategy that you want to focus on. Often, I'll use strategically pick a section of text that I've already read aloud to use during a mini-lesson.

2. Teacher SUPPORTS READERS (we do)

Shared Reading - During shared reading, the teacher selects a text that all learners in the class can see. It is a text that is ON GRADE LEVEL. This means that it will not be a "just right" text for all your readers. And that's okay, because 1- you're there to offer tons of support and 2- learners will have plenty of other times to read on their level.

The poems from my poetry packs are one of the ways we do shared reading.

Guided Reading - Guided reading is focused instruction that happens in a small group environment (6 or less students). The text you read with the students is typically something they can read, but only with support. Each student has a copy of the text as you read it together. If texts are short enough, it is read more than once over a 2 or 3 day period. There's no way two or three sentences can explain all there is to know about guided reading.

Of course, we'll be exploring guided reading further in our e-course. If you want to get a head start, my two favorite resources for guided reading are The Next Step Forward in Guided Reading by Jan Richardson, Making the Most out of Small Groups by Debbie Diller, and Teaching Reading in Small Groups by Jennifer Serravallo.

Strategy Lessons - Strategy lessons group students based on strategies they need instead of by their reading level (guided reading). So, if you have a group of readers who struggle with inferring, you would group them for lessons on inferring. Instead of all using the same text, they use a book on their own reading level to practice inferring.

Conferring One-on-One with Learners - As learners read during guided reading lessons, strategy or during an independent reading time (see the next section), you can listen as they read and offer feedback and support where needed.

3. Learners READ INDEPENDENTLY (you do)

Within your school day, learners need time to read independently. They need time to apply the skills they've seen you model and that they've practiced with you. This typically happens during literacy center time, during a self-selected reading time, or during a readers' workshop.

This is true for ANY reader, but often doesn't happen enough for struggling readers.

Balanced Literacy with Writing

The e-course we are working hard on right now will only include reading, but balanced literacy also includes writing, so I want to make sure I touch on it as well. There are certainly other ways to teach writing (interactive writing, shared writing, etc.), one of the best ways to capture all three components of balanced writing is to do it through the Writer's Workshop approach.

1- Teacher MODELS WRITING (I do)

During a Writer's Workshop approach, you start with a mini-lesson, where you model writing and writing strategies to your learners.

You can find lots of great ideas for things to model to learners in both our writing series: Pre-K/Kindergarten Writing Lessons & Writing Lessons for Primary Grades {with freebies, too!}. If you're looking for a full-blown Writer's Workshop curriculum, I recommend WriteShop.

2. Teacher SUPPORTS WRITERS (we do)

During independent writing time of Writer's Workshop (after the mini-lesson), I often met with small writing groups for strategy instruction. I loved having time to meet one-on-one with learners during this time, too. Sometimes, I'd pull my "lowest" writers and we'd do some interactive writing together.

The sharing time of writing workshop (after independent writing time) is another great time to offer support and feedback to writers. This was often one of my favorite times of Writer's Workshop.

3. Learners WRITE INDEPENDENTLY (you do)

Once the mini-lesson is over, the teacher turns writing over to learners. During independent writing time, writers are encouraged to apply what they know to their own writing.

Balanced Literacy with Spelling/Word Study

Though not talked about thoroughly in this post, word study and spelling are also an important part of balanced literacy.

Phonics and spelling can be taught in a whole group time (I do) and through small groups (we do). For example, I had word study small groups integrated into the "warm up" time of guided reading groups. Learners can then take those skills and apply them in their reading, writing, and center time (you do).

My two favorite spelling programs are Words their Way and All About Spelling (great especially for your struggling spellers). You can read even more about them in my article, Do I Really Have to teach Spelling?

Grab the Balanced Literacy Freebie!

*By signing up for this freebie with your email, you'll be added to our VIP list so you're the first to know more about our e-course!

See all the posts in this Balanced Literacy Series

Enjoy!
~Becky

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What is Balanced Literacy? - This Reading Mama

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Have you ever heard the term balanced literacy? It's been around for many years. What exactly is it? And does it still apply to teaching, even after all these years? Find links to the posts in this series at the END of this post. *This post contains affiliate links.

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Daily 5 -Management for Guided Reading/Centers

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Daily 5 -Management for Guided Reading/Centers

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It's no secret that building strong literacy skills from an early age pays huge dividends for students. However, implementing an effective literacy program in the classroom-one which meets the widely varying needs of all your students while building a genuine love of reading-is a significant challenge. One of the most popular and successful frameworks that has emerged to help educators meet this challenge is the Daily 5™, first introduced by Gail Boushey and Joan Moser in their 2006 book, The Daily 5: Fostering Literacy Independence in the Elementary Grades. This method offers students the following five choices of activities to work independently toward personal literacy goals:

Ready to try this rewarding, student-centered instructional method in your classroom? Or, maybe you've been using the Daily 5 for years and are simply looking to refine your approach. No matter where you are on your Daily 5 journey, we've assembled this guide with useful tips to help you fully understand the framework and put best practices to work. We'll start by taking a high-level look at what the framework is and isn't, and then move on to actionable tips to implement each of the five choices in your classroom:
The Daily 5: What It Is
The Daily 5 is a literacy framework that guides both student and teacher behaviors to create a classroom of engaged and independent readers and writers. It's not the "what" you teach but "how" that the Daily 5 aims to solve by creating a structure in which students participate in meaningful activities, while educators work uninterrupted with small groups and individuals.

Explicit teaching and practicing of classroom behaviors

Rather than continually putting out fires in your classroom, the Daily 5 offers literacy routines and procedures that are transparent, practiced, and upheld. With a prescribed method for introduction and suggested visual anchors for reinforcement, students gain a firm grasp of acceptable behaviors to guide their classroom decisions within your daily reading block.

Stamina building for sustained reading and writing

For students to become truly proficient in literacy, research shows that they need extended periods of authentic reading and writing. This structure is one way to deliver that focused independent practice by guiding educators through the process of helping students build stamina.

Creating a structure that nurtures independence requires trust from you, their teacher, to prepare students to accept the challenge of making thoughtful choices in the classroom. This may sound scary, and it certainly takes time, but when that trust and sense of community are established, you stand to gain a more satisfied and self-disciplined group of students.
...And What It Isn't

A teacher-driven model that relies on busywork and workbooks

Student choice is the ultimate linchpin to the success of the Daily 5. As the year goes on, your students will be thankful for the opportunity to choose their own literacy adventure within the Daily 5 structure. Additionally, it also gives young learners the opportunity to refocus their brains so that they are capable of maintaining attention during periods of direct instruction.

A huge financial and time investment

We've all been there as educators-brimming with ideas of exciting activities and new centers only to be met with piles of ungraded work and exhaustion a few months later. The Daily 5 supports practice, utilizing reusable resources such as anchor charts, manipulatives, technology, and classroom libraries as the keys to sustaining success.

The Daily 5 looks different in every classroom. Period. This framework is meant to support choice and flexibility so that the students in front of you guide your teaching based upon their experience, stamina, needs, and behaviors.
The Daily 5: Best Practice Tips
The "Read to Self" component is just what it sounds like: during this time your students are each equipped with books, seated alone, and reading independently. While this may seem pretty straightforward, creating a classroom full of independent readers with extended stamina requires slow and thoughtful execution. Three key strategies are outlined here:

Teach Students the 3 Ways to Read a Book

Boushey and Moser suggest teaching three different ways to read that encourage fluid practice from the very beginning. By reading the pictures, even the earliest learners begin to understand the elements of a story; by reading the words, the most conventional definition of reading is explored; and by retelling the story, students learn the importance of comprehending what they read.

Through introducing this strategy, you begin to create a classroom environment where all students feel that they can be successful. This is particularly helpful for younger students or English language learners, who may not yet be reading.

Encourage the "I-PICK" Good-Fit Books Method

Before students can start reading independently, they need to be equipped with the right books to suit their needs. Think about those students who spend all their time "choosing" a book in your classroom library only to find the right one just as you call time, and you'll quickly see the merit of this approach.

As a strategy developed by Boushey and Moser, "I-PICK" teaches students to consider purpose, interest, comprehension, and word knowledge when making their book selections. Model, think aloud, and confer with small groups regularly to help instill this practice with your young learners.

Provide Quality Reading Materials

If the Daily 5 is carried our correctly (and actually on a daily basis) the depth and breadth of your classroom reading materials may come into question. By adding educational technology programs, such as Reading Eggs for K-2 learners and Reading Eggspress for students in grades 2-6, you can provide an engaging, Web-based reading option for your students.

In these online solutions, students can browse over 2,000 fiction and nonfiction titles in a virtual library to select their good-fit book by genre or Lexile® level. Stories also include a short comprehension quiz, encouraging readers to apply their knowledge about all three ways they read a book.

Choice #2: Work on Writing
During this rotation, students should have extended time to practice and the freedom to explore different writing topics. "Work on Writing" can be used to continue the writing style or process that is being taught in a separate writing workshop outside of the Daily 5, but this should not always be the case. Sustained writing of any form a student chooses should remain the focus of this rotation. A few key strategies for success are detailed below:

For many students, thinking of a topic can be the hardest aspect of writing. Without creating specific expectations around this practice, you may see your students' focus quickly shift from writing to building a tower out of the writing center supplies. To avoid losing their concentration, encourage your students to create a repository of writing ideas-collected and organized into anchor charts and student writing notebooks for quick and easy access.

Underline Words That You Don't Know How to Spell, and Move On

Critical to success in "Work on Writing," this strategy is specifically meant to help your students maintain their writing flow without losing track of their thoughts or causing extended periods of frustration. It's a terrible moment as a teacher when you scan through writing samples from your class to see that your 1st graders were stumped after two lines because they struggled to spell "rollercoaster" or "chameleon."

Keep this from happening by teaching your students to not be afraid of using rich and explicit words that are above their spelling level. Model the writing process, thinking aloud in front of your students as you stumble upon a difficult word yourself. By underlining the word and quickly moving on, you show them that it's okay if some words aren't spelled perfectly in their nonpublished writing.

For many struggling learners, writing is hardly their favorite pastime. Reinvigorate the writing rotation by offering students the opportunity to use online technology to explore the writing process.

In Edmentum's learn-to-read program, Reading Eggs, students can enter the Story Factory to create their own composition tied to a weekly theme. A variety of graphics and relevant vocabulary assists students as they craft their own tale, save their finished work, print, or even submit their story to a weekly contest.
Choice #3: Read to Someone
Often a Daily 5 favorite, "Read to Someone" offers children the opportunity to pair up and share a book of their choosing. This rotation is sometimes referred to as partner reading, buddy reading, or read with a friend. No matter what you choose to call it, "Read to Someone" provides a meaningful time for developing readers to increase their comprehension, fluency, and accuracy. Explore a few ways to set up this round successfully:

Setting expectations for good reading partners in your classroom involves defining what it sounds and looks like. Because volume control can often feel like an uphill battle, we'll start there. Research shows that the loudest voice in the room is the one that often regulates the noise level. Keep your voice down when conferring with students to set the appropriate tone and expectations in your room.

Hand in hand with voice level, our primary learners often need direction as to what "Read to Someone" should look like. With "EEKK" (elbow to elbow, knee to knee), a model subscribed to by the Daily 5 creators (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser), students are taught to sit side by side to easily share their text and read aloud together.

It's not enough to practice fluent reading during "Read to Someone;" your students also should be concentrating on comprehending text. To check for understanding, set a standard practice for readers to restate aloud the "what" and "who" of what they just read or heard. Additional comprehension questions can be added for older students. Check out a few examples of how this strategy can be brought to life on our Pinterest board.
Choice #4: Listen to Reading
"Listen to Reading" can take many different forms, including online audiobooks and Web-based solutions. For emerging readers, time spent listening to fluent reading models is invaluable to building reading pronunciation and expression. Struggling readers also find this rotation beneficial, as it allows them to access texts that meet their listening comprehension level, even if that exceeds their reading level. Keep these strategies in mind when incorporating this rotation:

If you find yourself among one of those lucky few with a set of state-of-the-art devices for class, adding "Listen to Reading" to your daily rotation should be fairly straightforward. If a set of four to five "cross your fingers and hope they work today" computers is more in line with the current state of your classroom technology, rest assured that there's no reason to lose hope! Between audiobooks from your campus or city library and your school's computer lab, you can still give your students the opportunity to experience this rotation regularly.

Additionally, make the most of time spent at this station by ensuring that your students have the technology skills to log in quickly and treat equipment appropriately. Early on, it's also a good idea to appoint a student to be your "tech-support helper," so that you aren't pulled away from working with students to assist with technology issues.

Determine appropriate activities based on reading ability

Listening to reading is often so engaging for children, that most have no problem building stamina. You can keep this rotation exciting by providing your students with a wide variety of books to enjoy. Our online literacy solutions, Reading Eggs and Reading Eggspress, can be hugely helpful with this. Within the programs' Online Library Catalog, students can select from over 2,000 different titles with full audio support.

For those no longer in need of "Listen to Reading," "Computer Time" is often substituted to focus on other reading skills in an engaging environment. In Reading Eggs and Reading Eggspress, students can work through an individualized learning path of reading lessons. Each lesson contains pre-reading activities, a focus book, book quiz, and motivational rewards to keep students engaged and learning.

The "Word Work" component of the Daily 5 focuses on spelling and vocabulary by creating a print-rich environment and offering learning manipulatives for students to experiment and develop an interest in language. Students are able to select from a variety of materials to play with words, word patterns, word families, and so on to hone their knowledge and increase their writing skills. Consider several suggestions below to make your "Word Work" area a success:

With such things as sand, playdough, markers, and glitter glue, the variety of materials involved in "Word Work" is often tailored to meet the needs of your kinesthetic learners. The activities in this rotation also involve a fair bit of rule following and sometimes even a watchful eye to keep them running smoothly.

Gauging the maturity of your learners is a good place to start, followed closely by rolling out new materials one at a time. Model how each is used in the context of "Word Work," and ask students to help demonstrate proper application to build letters, words, and sentences. Making it clear that each new manipulative is a privilege in your classroom can help keep even your most active learners in line during this rotation.

Motivate learning with focused, yet fun, activities

"Word Work" can provide excellent practice of manipulating words and developing language skills, but when involving enticing materials, it can also quickly descend into anarchy. Incorporate a variety of "Word Work" activities that motivate students to stay on task.

Using Reading Eggs, students can practice phonics skills, content vocabulary, and sight words in a game-based environment. Leveled activities align content to individualized ability levels, while Golden Egg rewards entice students to stay motivated. Reading Eggspress similarly provides an English skills area for students to practice more complex spelling patterns while earning redeemable rewards.

Looking for additional tips to make use of the Daily 5 framework in your classroom? Interested in learning more about Edmentum's engaging online programs for early literacy? Explore Reading Eggs and Reading Eggspress!

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The Daily 5 Literacy Framework: A Guide to Best Practices

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It's no secret that building strong literacy skills from an early age pays huge dividends for students. However, implementing an effective literacy program in the classroom-one which meets the widely varying needs of all your students while building a genuine love of reading-is a significant challenge.