Guided Reading

Overview
Definition
According to Fountas and Pinnell, guided
reading is an instructional setting that
enables you (the teacher) to work with a
small group of students to help them
learn effective strategies for processing
text with understanding. The purpose of
guided reading is to meet the varying
instructional needs of all the students in
your class, enabling them to greatly
expand their reading powers (p.189 -
191). Keep in mind, guided reading is
only one piece of a literacy program.
Guided reading gives students the
opportunity to read at their just right level,
which means that the books provide them
with a moderate challenge. They are
grouped with students who are similar in
ability, needs, and strengths. Instruction
is then finely tuned to meet the needs of
particular students.
Suggested Mini-Lessons
Story Elements
Vocabulary
Sequencing
Character Development
Predicting
Fluency
Decoding Strategies
Making Connections (personal, to
another text, to the world)
Inferring
Summarizing
Analyzing
Critiquing
Skimming and Scanning
Retelling
Word Meanings
Suggested Centers
computers (work on typing skills, research, type
reading letter)
poetry (copy poem into book and read it aloud in
whisper phones or to friend to practice fluency and
expression)
magazines (read the current Weekly Reader or Time
For Kids magazine and complete corresponding
worksheet)
spelling (practice spelling words using magnetic
letters or a tray of sand for example)
writing (free creative writing)
buddy reading
word (activities such as making words)
overhead (create words on the overhead or find
rhyming words in poems)
big book (find word wall words)
read the room (some students can find simple words
while others are looking for multi-syllabic words)
Making the Most of Guided Reading
Ensure that the heart of each guided reading
is actual reading and practice. Commit at least 2/3 of
total guided reading time to actual reading practice.
Never do anything that isnt aimed directly at the goal of
independent reading.
Let students needs drive instruction. When your
guided reading groups meet, keep students individual
goals on the front burner. Dont deviate, and give them
time to mature the skill.
Highlight the three top needs in your class, integrate
and repeatedly focus on them throughout the day, no
matter what you are teaching.
When teaching independent reading strategies:
model it;
when the class reads together, ask does that make
sense? and show them what to do when it doesnt;
remind students to ask the same question when they
read independently;
explicitly describe to students the strategy you used.
Dissolve and create new groups whenever students
needs change.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/columnists/miller/miller011.shtml
Visit Jens site to learn more:
http://www.oncboces.org/webpages/jfarr
Click Curriculum Resources > ELA Resources >
Reading Resources
Suggested Reading Activities Grades 3-6 page 1
Facts Questions Responses (FQR)
Purpose: This strategy helps readers reflect and glean important information and deepen understanding
through questioning.
Procedures:
1. Read an informational text
2. Write down any facts that you learned, questions you have, or responses on a sticky note
3. Make a three column chart (labled Facts, Questions, Responses) and put the sticky notes into their
column.
4. Reflect on the questions. Were some of them answered in the text? In your head? or do you need to do
some further research?
Materials needed: Chart paper, sticky notes
Very Important Points (VIP)
Purpose: The purpose of this strategy is to support readers in their efforts to navigate through the text
reflection on key points or ideas, making connections, and clarifying understanding.
Procedures:
1. Provide each student with sticky notes cut into strips.
2. As the children read have them mark the text to indicate very important points. These important points can
consist of points of interest, confusion, or a place where the student remembered a connection.
3. At the end of the reading have the students meet in pairs of a small group and discuss the VIP's they
selected.
4. For a higher level activity you can have them come to a consensus about the VIP's for a particular section.
Materials needed: Sticky notes cut into strips for each student.
Title: Read, Cover, Remember, & Retell
Purpose: This strategy supports readers by stopping them frequently to THINK about the meaning.
Procedures:
1. Read only as much as your hand can cover.
2. Cover the words with your hand.
3. Remember what you have just read. It is okay to take another look.
4. Retell what you just read inside your head or to a partner.
Materials needed: Reading materials
Suggested Reading Activities Grades 3-6 page 2
Two Word Strategy
Purpose: The two word strategy is used to help students synthesize information.
Procedures:
1. Have your students read a thought provoking section.
2. After reading ask your students to be silent and then write only two words (not in a phrase) that reflect
their thinking about the passage.
3. After selection their words, students turn to someone close and read their words, telling why they chose
them and explaining how they relate to the story and/or their personal lives.
4. Create a class list of these words. As each word is added and the rationale for selection is shared, a
richer understanding of the selection begins to surface.
Materials needed: Books and chart paper or chalk board
Interactive Journals-Emergent Writers
Purpose: Interactive journals provide a wonderful opportunity for students to reflect on their reading, build
on their understanding and share opinions and observations with other students.
Procedures:
1. Each student draws and writes about a story or learning experience using one half of the paper.
2. Partners talk about their drawing, their writing, and their reflections.
3. Partners trade papers.
4. Using the second section on their partner's paper, each student draws and writes a response to their
partner's work. This might take the form of adding information, voicing a shared thought about the story or
something else.
5. Partners meet in larger groups to talk about their shared drawing and writing.
Materials needed: Piece of paper folded in half.
Mini Fluence lessons
Purpose: Mini lessons that will help with fluency.
Procedures:
1. When you read, make it sound like talking.
2. Partner the children at a guided reading level. Both children have a copy of the text. The assignment is to
have each child read silently one page at a time. At the bottom of each page, they write a question they
have learned from the reading. After both partners have written a question and made eye contact, they
discuss the question.
3. When you read, make it sound like talking.
4. Partner the children at a guided reading level. Both children have a copy of the text. The assignment is to
have each child read silently one page at a time. At the bottom of each page, they write a question they
have learned from the reading. After both partners have written a question and made eye contact, they
discuss the question.
Materials needed: Each student needs a paper folded into fourths.
Suggested Reading Activities Grades 3-6 page 3
Interactive Journals--More Fluent Writers
Purpose: Interactive journals provide a wonderful opportunity for students to reflect on their reading, build on
their understanding and share opinions and observations with other students.
Procedures:
1. Students gather in teams of three. Each team member has his or her own paper and pencil. They need to
know that there will be an audience for their writing as other members of their group will read and respond
to what they write.
2. All students begin writing and reflecting in quadrant #1. Their writing might be stimulated with questions
such as, "What is the most important thought to remember about the Civil War?" "What personal
connections were there for you?"
3. At a predetermined signal, have the students pass their papers within their group of three. They now are
holding someone else's paper. The task is to read what is written in quadrant #1 and then respond in
quadrant #2 with additional thought, reflections, or shared feelings.
4. The students pass their papers one more time. This time they read #1 and #2, then respond in #3.
5. All papers return to their original owners. The owner of the paper reads all responses and then reflects in
quadrant #4. This self reflection might include thoughts such as"Do I still feel
6. the same as I did in quadrant #1?" "Did I learn anything new?" "What lingering
questions do I have?"
Materials needed: Each student needs a paper folded into fourths.
http://www.oe.k12.mi.us/balanced_literacy/guided_reading.htm
To support the control of early reading behaviors
Read it with your finger
Do you think it look like __________?
Did you have enough words?
Did it match?(
Did you run out of words?
Read that again and start the word
To support self-monitoring behavior
Why did you stop?
It could be __________, but look at ________.
Where's the tricky work? (after error)
Try that again.
Were you right?
To support Cross-checking
Check the picture.
What could you try?
Try that again and think what would make
sense?
Do you know a word that starts with those
letters? Ends with those letters?
Check it. Does it look right and sound right to
you?
What part do you know?
What do you know that might help?
To support phrased, fluent reading
Put your words together so it sounds like talking.

To support searching for cues

MEANING
Try that again.
You said__________. Does that make sense?
Look at the picture.
What might happen nest, in the story?
Did that make sense?
What would make sense?
Try __________, would that make sense?
STRUCTURE
Does it look right?
Can you say it that way?
What would sound right?
Try __________. Would that sound right?
VISUAL
Does it look right?
What do you expect to see at the beginning? at the
end?
Do you know a work like that?
What does it start with? Can you say more than
that?
What do you know that might help?
To Support Self-Correction
You're nearly right. Try that again.
I liked the way you worked that out.
You made a mistake. Can you find it?
Something wasn't quite right.
Prompts to Support Strategies
Guided Reading Idea- "Book Club" Groups
Originally posted at: http://www.wfu.edu/education/fourblocks/block1.html
For book club groups, the teacher selects three or four books, tied together by author, genre, topic or
theme. After reading aloud the first chapter or several pages of each book to the children or previewing the
pictures with them, the teacher has children indicate their first and second (and third if there are four books)
choices for which book they would like to read. Whenever possible, in choosing the three or four books, we try
to include one that is easier and one that is harder. If children who are struggling choose the easier book as
any of their choices, they are put in the group that will read this book. If the more advanced readers choose the
harder book for any of their choices, they are put in that group. (We don't tell the children that some books are
harder and easier!) Each time we do book club groups, the groups change and while we do consider the
reading levels and choices of children when assigning, the groups all have a range of readers and are not
ability groups.
Once book club groups are formed, they meet regularly to read and discuss the book. The teacher rotates
through the groups giving guidance, support and encouragement. Each day the groups report to the whole
class what has happened or what they have learned in their book so far.
Here is an example using four informational books, Cats, Wolves, Sharks and Sea Turtles by Gail Gibbons
(Holiday House). Because cats is a familiar topic for most children and because there is less text on the
pages, Cats is an easier book than the other three. Sea Turtles is a little harder than Wolves and Sharks.
The teacher begins the Guided Reading Block today by telling the children that she has found four wonderful
informational animal books. One at a time, she shows the cover of each book and lets children tell what they
know about each animal and some of their personal experiences with them. Using only the cover, she gets
children thinking about what they know and about what they might learn. She then tells the children that they
only have this week to spend on these books and they only have seven of each. They will not all be able to
read all four books but they will read one book and hear about the animals in the books the other groups are
reading.
Next, she hands them an index card and asks them to write their name and the numbers 1, 2 and 3 on the
card. She then explains that she is going to give them 20 minutes to preview the books--five minutes for each
book. At the end of the 20 minutes, they will return to their seats and write down their first, second and third
choices. She places all the copies of each book in the four corners of the room. She then divides the class
into four random groups and sends a group to each corner. She sets her timer for five minutes and tells the
children that when the timer sounds, they must move to the next corner and the next group of books.
For the next 20 minutes, the children are busily trying to read as much as they can and look at as many pages
as they can. Every time the timer sounds and they have to move, they groan and complain they haven't had
enough time. The teacher sympathizes but tells them this is not the time to study these books but only to
decide which ones they most want to read.
When the 20 minutes is up, the children return to their seats to make their choices. It isn't easy! Most protest
that they want to read them all! They have trouble deciding which is their first choice and which is their second
choice. The teacher tells them not to worry too much about the order of choices because she can't guarantee
they will get their first choice--or even their second choice. There are only seven copies of each and the
groups need to be about the same size. "I promise I will give you one of your choices and I will try to give you
your first choice but I can't promise that!
After school, she looks at all the cards. First, she looks at the cards of the struggling readers. Four of her five
struggling readers have chosen Cats as one of their choices so she puts them in the Cats group along with two
more able readers who have also chosen Cats. One struggling reader did not choose Cats but he chose
Sharks as his first choice and she puts him in the Sharks group. Next, she looks at the choices of her most
able readers. Five of these have chosen Sea Turtles and she puts them along with one fairly able reader in the
Sea Turtles group. She puts the other children in groups according to their choices and evens out the
numbers.
(continued on next page)
Guided Reading Idea- "Book Club" Groups, continued
She takes four sheets of chart paper and heads each with the name of one of the books and the names of the
children in that group. She then divides the chart into three columns and heads them K-W-L. She stars the
name of the child in each group who she has chosen to do the writing on the KWL chart and be the leader of
the group. She places the charts along with the books in the four corners. She uses large paper clips to clip
together the pages in the last two-thirds of each book so that students will not read beyond the first ten pages
on the first day.
When the children come in the next morning, they immediately find their names on the charts and know which
book they will read. Some are disappointed that they didn't get their first choice. The teacher sympathizes but
points out that she was able to give them one of their choices. She also tells them that she will be able to keep
the books in the room for one more week after this week and they can read the others during self selected
reading if they choose.
At Guided Reading time, the groups go to their corners and the teacher orients them to how they are going to
work for the next three days. She has done many KWL charts with them so they know that you brainstorm
things you know for the first column and things you want to learn for the second column. She gives markers to
the member of each group who she has chosen to do the writing and tells the children that the writer will also
be the "teacher" and lead the group just as she does when they do KWL's together. She asks them to spend
ten minutes putting things they know and want to learn in the first two columns. She explains that they will then
have 20 minutes to read the pages in the first third of the book and add things to the L column on the
chart. She sets her timer for ten minutes and circulates encouraging each group to list as much as they can in
the first two columns. When the timer sounds, she tells them to finish writing what they are writing and then
begin reading the book. They will read each two-page spread to themselves and then list things in the L
column before going to the next two-page spread.
As the groups work, the teacher goes around and helps them decide what to write so that they don't write
everything in the book and reminds them how she writes the note they tell her when they do KWL's
together. She begins with the Cats group and spend more time here. Even though there are three pretty good
readers in this group, the four struggling readers need support and encouragement. She did, of course, make
sure to appoint the writer and "teacher" in this group to be one of the more able readers and writers.
At the end of 19 minutes, she signals them that they only have another minute and that they should finish
writing what they are writing on the chart. One group has not gotten to the last two-page spread and she tells
them they can begin there tomorrow and they will have to "move a little faster." The last ten minutes are spent
with each group sharing with the other three groups what they have learned so far.
On the next two days, the groups review what they have learned so far, add a few more questions to the "What
they want to learn" column, read the final two thirds of the book and add to the "Learn" column. Each day ends
with the groups sharing what they have learned.
On the fifth day, the groups reassemble for the last time. Their task today is to read everything they have listed
in the "Learn" column and then to each write the three most interesting things they learned and draw a picture
to illustrate their new knowledge. The teacher gives them a paragraph frame to organize their writing.
I learned a lot about ______________. I learned that _______________. I also learned
that_______________. The most interesting thing I learned was __________________________.
The children work busily to write and illustrate their paragraphs using both the books and the KWL
charts. Because they know so much about their topic and have the chart and book support and the frame to
help structure their writing, everyone writes good paragraphs.
Samples of childrens writing
Book Club groups are one of the favorite ways to organize Guided Reading once the children read well enough
that you can find multiple books tied together in some way. It is also crucial that the teacher has modeled the
formats the groups will use, in this example-- KWL charts and paragraph frames. Most teachers find that the
children participate eagerly in their Book Club groups and that the books they didn't get to read are the most
popular selections during self selected reading the following week. It is not unusual for children to read all
three books their group didn't read. Because their knowledge of each book is greatly increased by the sharing,
they are often able to read books at a higher level than they generally can.
Proficient readers don't just plow ahead through text when it doesn't make sense -
they stop and use "fix-up" strategies to restore their understanding. One of the most
important fix-up tools is rereading, with teachers demonstrating to students a
variety of ways to reread text in order to repair meaning.
Fixing Comprehension
Proficient readers don't
just plow ahead through
text when it doesn't
make sense - they stop
and use "fix-up"
strategies to restore their
understanding. One of
the most important fix-
up tools is rereading.
Proficient readers don't just plow ahead through text when it doesn't make sense -
they stop and use "fix-up" strategies to restore their understanding. One of the most
important fix-up tools is rereading, with teachers demonstrating to students a
variety of ways to reread text in order to repair meaning.
Asking Questions
Good readers ask questions while
they read. Use Sticky notes
(post-it notes) to stop, mark text,
and note questions as you read in
your text book. If you are
reading a handout (that your
teacher says you can write on)
underline text that puzzles you
and write your questions in the
gutters or margins of the pages.
Proficient readers don't just plow ahead through text when it doesn't make sense -
they stop and use "fix-up" strategies to restore their understanding. One of the most
important fix-up tools is rereading, with teachers demonstrating to students a
variety of ways to reread text in order to repair meaning.
Important Ideas
With so many words to read, readers must sort
through and prioritize information. Analyze
everything from text features in nonfiction text like
bullets and headings, to verbal cues in novels like
strong verbs. Looking for these clues can help you sift
through
and decide
the value of
different bits
of information
found in your reading.
Proficient readers don't just plow ahead through text when it doesn't make sense -
they stop and use "fix-up" strategies to restore their understanding. One of the most
important fix-up tools is rereading, with teachers demonstrating to students a
variety of ways to reread text in order to repair meaning.
Inferring
Effective readers use prior
knowledge about a topic and the
information they have found in the
text (thus far) to make predictions
about what might happen next.
When teachers demonstrate or
model their reading processes for
students through think-alouds,
they often stop and predict what
will happen next to show how
inferring is essential for
comprehending text.
Proficient readers don't just plow ahead through text when it doesn't make sense -
they stop and use "fix-up" strategies to restore their understanding. One of the most
important fix-up tools is rereading, with teachers demonstrating to students a
variety of ways to reread text in order to repair meaning.
Creating Mental Images
Create mind pictures as you read. Visualize
action, characters, or themes. Teachers use
picture books with students of all ages, not
necessarily because they are easy to read, but
because the lush and sophisticated
art in these books can
be a great bridge for
helping students see
how words and images
connect in meaning-making.
Proficient readers don't just plow ahead through text when it doesn't make sense -
they stop and use "fix-up" strategies to restore their understanding. One of the most
important fix-up tools is rereading, with teachers demonstrating to students a
variety of ways to reread text in order to repair meaning.
Synthesizing Information
Synthesis combines
elements of connecting,
questioning, and
inferring. With this
strategy, you move from
making meaning of the
text, to integrating your
new understanding into
your life and world view.
In a sense, synthesis
means living through
your reading.
Proficient readers don't just plow ahead through text when it doesn't make sense -
they stop and use "fix-up" strategies to restore their understanding. One of the most
important fix-up tools is rereading, with teachers demonstrating to students a
variety of ways to reread text in order to repair meaning.
O.W.L. Strategy
bserve
O
W
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onder
ink it to your life
E
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p
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y

C
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As you read ask yourself:
What topic(s) does this book or chapter describe?
Is the information easy for me to understand? Why?
What facts do I like learning about the most? Why?
What information would I like to share with someone else?
Would I like to read more books about this topic? Why?
What else would I like to know about this topic? How can I find this out?

E
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p
o
s
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t
o
r
y

A
C
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R
A
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Y


As you read ask yourself:
Who is the author? What qualifies the author to write this information?
What would I ask the author if I ever met him or her?
What kind of research did the author have to do to write this information?
Does this book provide recent information? Is there a better source of information?
Give some examples of specific clue words the author uses that let me know he or
she is stating an opinion or a fact.


E
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p
o
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t
o
r
y

S
T
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L
E

As you read ask yourself:
Do I understand what the author is saying? What information is the easiest to
understand or the hardest to understand? Why?
Would I like to learn more about this topic? Why?
Would this book or information be different if it were written 10 years earlier?
By reading, did I discover anything that could help me outside of school?
Is this book like any other book I have ever read? How is it alike or different?
Which one do I like better? Why?

E
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p
o
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t
o
r
y

I
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A
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As you read ask yourself:
Did the author include illustrations with the book?
Are the illustrations helpful or not helpful? Why?
What illustrations or pictures are the most interesting?
What could the author have done to make the information easier to understand?



E
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p
o
s
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t
o
r
y

T
E
X
T

S
T
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As you read ask yourself:
How is the information in this book, chapter or passage presented?
Is the information given in a specific order such as: in order of the times things
took place or in order of how something must be done?
Is the information given in list format?
Does the author compare something or tells how things are different?
Does the author tell what causes something to happen and then tell how that
affects something?
Is a problem and solution to the problem described?
Does it have a main idea or topic and details to support the idea or topic?

C
H
A
R
A
C
T
E
R
S

As you read ask yourself:
Who are the main characters in the story?
Do I like or dislike them? Why?
Who is the most important character in the story? Why?
Do any of the characters change in the story? How?
Does a character do things that are good or bad? What kind of things?

S
E
T
T
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N
G

As you read ask yourself:
Where does this story take place?
What is the place like?
When did this story take place? How do you know?
Is there anything I can tell about the setting even though it does not say it
directly? For example: I know it is winter if there is snow on the ground.

P
L
O
T

As you read ask yourself:
What are the main things that have happened in the story?
Can I guess what is going to happen next? What clues can I use?
What would I have done differently if I had been one of the characters?

M
O
O
D

As you read ask yourself:
What are the main things that have happened in the story?
Can I guess what is going to happen next? What clues can I use?
What would I have done differently if I had been one of the characters?

S
T
Y
L
E

As you read ask yourself:
What special words does the author use to help me see the story?
What pictures did the author leave in my mind?
What do I like about the way the author has written the story?
What do I dislike about the way the author has written the story?

T
H
E
M
E

As you read ask yourself:
Why did the author write this book?
Is there a message in this story? What is the message?
A
U
T
H
O
R

As you read ask yourself:
What is the author trying to tell me in this book?
What did the author have to know to write this book?

I
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T
R
A
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As you read ask yourself:
Who is the illustrator?
Do I like the illustrations? Why or why not?

Extras.

C
H
A
R
A
C
T
E
R
S

As you read ask yourself:
Who are the main characters in the story?
Do I like or dislike them? Why?
Who is the most important character in the story? Why?
Do any of the characters change in the story? How?
Does a character do things that are good or bad? What kind of things?

S
E
T
T
I
N
G

As you read ask yourself:
Where does this story take place?
What is the place like?
When did this story take place? How do you know?
Is there anything I can tell about the setting even though it does not say it
directly? For example: I know it is winter if there is snow on the ground.

P
L
O
T

As you read ask yourself:
What are the main things that have happened in the story?
Can I guess what is going to happen next? What clues can I use?
What would I have done differently if I had been one of the characters?