Guided Reading Ch.4: Early Guided Reading

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Wow! There is so much information in this chapter. You will definitely be happy if you purchase The Next Step in Guided Reading. It will walk you through with specific lessons for your guided reading groups. Plus, you will also see some scaffolding examples. 

Early Readers

Jan Richardson says that most first graders are considered to be in this early reading stage.  They are beginning to read words and are using those reading strategies that will help them become fluent readers.  Some of the things that they will be working on include sight words, comprehension and word study. Visual prompts can also make reading easier for this age group, with picture books and comics being ideal reading material. You can click here to learn which comics are favorites, as your first graders may already be familiar with the characters.

Guided Reading Lesson: 20 minutes

Some guided reading procedures include:

Dictating Sight Words

Purpose: Develop visual memory
Time: 1 minute
Teacher dictates a sight word and the student will write it on an individual  dry erase board. The teacher will help students as needed.

Reading a story

Purpose: Develop vocabulary, fluency and comprehension
Time:
1- Introduction: 3-4 minutes
The teacher will introduce the characters and problem of the story.
2-Picture Walk: time was not specified
The students will preview the book with a picture walk. The teacher will point out new concepts and sight words. It’s a good idea to write and introduce those tricky words before the students read the book.
3-Reading: 8-10 minutes
The students read the book independently in a soft voice. This will help them monitor their reading and help them remember what the story is about. Silent reading and choral reading are not encouraged by Jan Richardson, at this point.

4-Target Strategies

Self-monitoring prompts:

The teacher will teach self-monitoring strategies that the students will be able to use during their independent reading. These include;
*Does it make sense?
*Does it look right?
*Read it again.

Decoding Prompts:

Students need to learn the strategies that will help them figure out tricky words…. If it does not make sense, what can I do to figure it out? These might include finding chunks they know, reading slowly, saying the first sounds in words, looking for clues, etc.
These are some reading strategies posters that serve as a visual in the classroom as students engage in their reading activities.

Fluency Prompts

The teacher will use prompts that will help students read with fluency and expression.

Comprehension 

This is mainly done through group discussions which include the following:
1- Students will retell story events by recalling what happened in the beginning, middle, and end of the story. 
2- Students will summarize  the story by using the Somebody-Wanted-But-So strategy.
3-Students will do the five-finger retell which includes characters, setting, problem, events, and the conclusion of the story.
4-Students will predict what might happen next in the story.
5-Students will state the problem and tell how it was solved.
6-Students will talk about the character’s feelings.

Discussion Prompt

The teacher will present an open-ended question each day for the reading groups. This will allow students to draw conclusions and draw inferences.
*As the students engage in these discussions, it will prepare them for the use of graphic organizers during independent work. These are some graphic organizers that I made into bookmarks. I still need to make them on a full page so that our kinders can have more room for writing. 

Teaching Points

The teacher will teach a strategy each day that she meets with a group. This will be a strategy that focuses on decoding, fluency or comprehension.
More on Comprehension

Sight Words

Purpose: To develop visual memory
Time: 1-2 minutes
 The teacher will select and teach ONE sight word with every book. We must do all of her suggested activities to help develop visual memory.

1. What’s missing?

This pictured activity features a focus word. The student will read the word, then write the missing letters on the words below. The book suggests that this be done as a hands-on activity during your guided reading group. First, the teacher will build the word with magnetic letters. Next, you will point to each letter as the student spells out the word. Finally, the teacher will present a word on a dry-erase board and erase a letter or more. Then, the students will tell which letter is missing. I just came up with this activity to use as independent practice in a center.

2. Mix it! Fix it!

This is a simple way to practice making new words. The teacher will give students the letters to make the target word. Students will mix the letters and then fix the word by using correct letter sequence.
Independent Activity for centers:
As you can see, the students will rainbow- write the word. They can do this by tracing each letter with different colors, or by using a different color for each letter. This word serves as a model for students who need a little more help. Advanced students can cover their rainbow word before they build the word (“fix” the word). 
First: Students use rainbow writing as they sound out each letter.
Then, students cut the sight word letters and mix them up.
Finally, the students will “Fix” the letters in correct sequence
and add it to the printable mat.

CVC Trace, Color, Build

This is another word-building activity that I created. It is organized by word families so that we can find the target word quicker. Jan suggests working with specific words for each reading level. Level A will work with words which contain 2 letters. Levels B & C works with words which contain 3 letters (cvc words). Level D works with diagraphs, and so on.

I have these CVC printables that will help with:

1. Seeing patterns in words (the initial consonant changes while the ending remains the same)
2. Paying attention to the correct sequence of letters in words
3.Becoming familiar with vowel sounds in CVC words
4.Developing fluency
5.Hearing words that rhyme
6.Decoding skills

Word Study

Some activities to use during your word study minutes include:
1. Picture sorts: Students sort words by short vowels, diagraphs, etc.
2. Making Words: These activities allow students to see the sequence in words and help with visual memory.
3. Sound Boxes: This will help students segment the sounds in words.
4. Analogy Charts: These are not used until students are reading at a level g. 
You might find these activities helpful for your students:
*This bundle includes many hands-on activities for “making words” and seeing patterns in words 🙂

I highly recommend this book. It has so much more information that will help you understand and plan for your guided reading groups. I tried to include some information and resources for visual purposes that you might find useful.

Learn from other teachers

I am co-hosting this chapter with Maria from Kinder Craze, Krissy from Mrs. Miner’s Monkey Business and Caitlin from Kindergarten Smiles. Head on over to see their posts 🙂

Link-up

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Guided Reading Ch.3: Pre-A & Emergent Guided Reading

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Last week we learned that assessments are important for creating our guided reading groups according to letter knowledge. You can find that information about Chapter Two here. This week we will review Chapter Three of the Guided Reading book study. This chapter covers Pre-A and Emergent Guided Reading.

What does Pre-A stand for?

This is the group of students who have limited letter knowledge. They typically know less than 40 upper- and lowercase letters and struggle with letter sounds. The Pre-A lesson plan that works for them includes: working with letter and names, working with sounds, working with books, and interactive writing. Jan Richardson recommends this framework for students who are beginning to learn English and for those who have special learning needs.

Trace an Alphabet Book

For students who do not know at least 40 upper- and lowercase letters, it is recommended that they trace an alphabet book EVERY day (with a tutor). This alphabet book will only have the upper and lowercase letters with the corresponding pictures. These students should also receive small-group instruction with the teacher. Keep in mind that the alphabet tracing should not be part of your guided reading lesson. .

Student Procedure

1. Trace each upper- and lowercase letter with pointing finger for the tactile experience (do not use pencil or marker)
2. Say the name of the letter each time
3. Point to the picture and name it like this… “R, r, rainbow”

I used these posters and cards for the activity.

Pre-A Lessons

A Pre-A Guided Reading Lesson should cover the following 4 activities within 15-20 minutes. You are probably wondering how to cover so much in such little time. The key is to present the activities in the amounts given. As long as the teacher does less talking and maybe keeps a timer, this lesson can be done within 15-20 minutes. The four activities must be presented within EVERY lesson without trying to split your time or activities up. This will allow students to make connections between the skills presented. Remember to keep a letter/sound checklist for each group. Use this checklist to during each session so that you know which letters to work with and to check-off new learned letters 🙂

Working with Letters and Names (3-4 minutes)

Name Activities

Purpose:  Teach visual discrimination
Time: One minute (for ONE name activity)

Name Puzzles: 

I like Jan’s suggestion. First cut the student’s name into two parts. Work on this until student is able to put his/her name together without a sample or help. Then, you gradually cut the name into more parts.

Make names with magnetic letters:

Gather the letters that make up the student’s first name and place them in a bag or envelope. Students use this to make their names.

Rainbow-writing:

Write the student’s first name on construction paper. They will trace over the name with one color, then with another and another.

Eight Ways of Working with Letters

Purpose: Build automaticity with letter that they already know
Time: 2 minutes

1. Match the letters in the bag
2.Match letters to an alphabet chart
3.Match upper- and lowercase letters
4.Sort magnetic letters by color
5.Name letters from left to right when you place them in a line
6.Name a word that begins with a letter they know
7.Name a letter that begins a given word (use an alphabet chart)
8.Find a letter on the alphabet chart that makes a given sound

Working with Sounds

Purpose: Teach phonological awareness
Time: 2-3 minutes

1. Clapping Syllables
This is so simple because it is something that we already do every day. The teacher will show the students a picture. Then the students will clap the syllables to determine how many syllables are in the given word. I always teach my students to slow down and talk like a robot when clapping the syllables. How fun is that? They totally love the robot talk. If I see that some students are not matching their syllable clapping with their words, we s-l-o-w down even more by taking a longer pause between syllables. I created this tablet apptivity that teachers can use during guided reading instruction. The mats are letter-size so that all students in the group are able to see the target word…  Later, these syllable mats can be placed in a center where students can practice this skill independently.

2. Working with rhymes
The teacher will say two words to the students. Students will use the thumbs up, thumbs down response to let the teacher know if the words rhyme. Kids love the thumbs up, thumbs down game. It makes sense to use it with a learning activity. The important thing is that the students need to HEAR the two words. They can repeat the two words it if they want, but they have to show you a thumbs up or down. If you are using rhyming cards during guided reading, it will be so easy to place them in a center for continued practice.
3. Picture Sorts
*The teacher will choose two consonants that the students already know. 
*The teacher will select the corresponding picture cards to give to a student.
*Students will follow a specific procedure:
     -Say the name of the picture
     -Say the first sound of that word
     -Next, say the name of that first letter
     – Finally, sort the picture under the correct letter on the board or pocket 
       chart 
*All the students will follow the same procedure with the same two cards

Working with Books

Purpose: Build Oral Language
Time: 5 minutes
We always take a picture walk first and talk about the pictures in the book. Students are expected to describe the pictures in complete sentences. This helps them put their thoughts together, increase vocabulary and make connections between pictures and pages. Then we read the book together. Students point to each word as they read, as I pay attention to their concepts of print. I love to use the leveled readers from A-Z. com.

Interactive Writing

Purpose: Build Letter Knowledge, Concepts of print
Time: 5 minutes

I like to use books and themes for our interactive writing lessons. We use short and repetitive sentences. And, sometimes they are planned sot that the sentences use specific sight words that I want students to become familiar with. For example; if we are learning about Back To School, we will talk about things that we see in the classroom or around the school.  Most importantly,  these sentences must include letters and sounds that you have been reviewing with them during small group… We usually write the responses on large chart paper. The book recommends that we only write one sentence during the Pre-A guided reading lesson. So, if you already wrote something like this during whole group, you will choose one sentence from there to do the following:
1. Teacher dictates a sentence
2. Students repeat the sentence
3. Teacher draws a line for each word on dry-erase boards
4. Students take turns helping to write each word while the others in the small group use the alphabet chart to practice their letters and letter formation.

As an independent activity, I like to choose a few sentences from the chart paper. Then, I type their sentences as seen in the picture below.

Here is a freebie for you 🙂

How long should a student remain in the Pre-A small group?

Students graduate from the Pre-A group when they are able to write their first name, name at least 40 letters of the alphabet, can hear consonant sounds in words, follows directions, and has gained left to right directionality skills.

That’s it 🙂

Well, that’s pretty much how a Pre-A lesson goes. I hope that you have learned something new today:) I have been very excited about this chapter and the corresponding resources that have been tucked away just waiting for this post… I posted THE very first ipad apptivity back in April. These new resources just compliment my original idea 🙂

Hopefully, you are having a wonderful and safe summer break.

Learn from other teachers or link up:

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