Sunday, February 12, 2012

Small Group Reading Instruction

I am constantly differentiating my instruction to meet the needs of the children in my classroom. The only way I know to do this is by working with my students in small group. I am fortunate to have an aid in my classroom during a small portion of my day to assist in meeting with small groups.
Here is a quick schedule of my reading block:
  • 30 minutes Whole group reading instruction
  • 20 minutes Guided Reading Group 1 /Aid pulls Guided Reading Group 4
  • 2o minutes Guided Reading Group 2
  • 20 minutes Guided Reading Group 3
  • 10 minutes Reflection
While I am meeting with my guided reading groups the other students are doing the following:
  • Independent Reading/Response
  • Participating in Literature Circle Groups
  • Computer programs such as www.achieve3000.com or www.compasslearningodyssey.com
  • Occasionally students will work on our interactive smart board to play Lakeshore Interactive Reading Games
  • Complete independent reading practice over whole group mini-lessons/reading strategies
Planning and implementing this type of instruction in the classroom takes time, effort, and planning. If you are planning on implementing Reader's Workshop into your reading block, I recommend starting with the following reading material:
Strategies that Work by Stephanie Harvey
I've currently been reading Debbie Diller's Making the Most of Small Groups Differentiation for All. There are so many resources and great ideas inside, but one of my favorites is her Guided Reading lesson plan forms. She has lesson plan forms that target instruction for your students that need phonics instruction, comprehension instruction, fluency instruction, phonemic awareness instruction, and vocabulary instruction. The lesson plans help you target the individual needs of each guided reading group.  I am attaching a plan form that I have created that I find helpful in planning my small group instruction.




Enjoy,

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