This chapter talks about guided reading and examining how you teach guided reading. I think this chapter is great for teachers as it brings to light many misconceptions about how guided reading should look. As a Pre-K teacher I don't have much experience with Guided Reading in a formal sense because it is not as much emphasized with preschoolers. This is because they are still acquiring letter sound recognition and phonics. But, by the second semester a good bit of my students have mastered letter sound recognition and are ready to try little readers. This leads me to my approach to guided reading. Now, I know the author says to be careful with ability grouping, but I feel in the early years this can be the approach to beginning readers. I usually group my students by how many letters and sounds they have acquired. This is because my students who have mastered more letters can usually start to sound out more words. I do not want to overwhelm or frustrate my students who are not yet ready to try reading in small groups.
Even though I find it difficult to always find time for guided reading I have found some benefits to beginning guided reading groups in Pre-k. I have found that guided reading teaches my students tracking skills which will be useful for them in Kindergarten. I love seeing my students follow along with the stories as we read the pages together. Guided reading also teaches my students phonemic awareness and rhyming skills. When reading with my students I try to let them help me sound out new words to reinforce the letter/sound recognition. This also helps them in their writing because they then attempt to write about what we have read. Lastly, I feel guided reading teaches my students to take turns and look at the pictures for clues as to what the words actually are saying. It gives them that connection between what is read aloud and what is actually written on the pages.
In my Pre-K class I try to choose texts that are centered around a central theme that is being reinforced in the classroom. This allows an easier flow of information to my students so the context of the texts are not unfamiliar to my students. I try to provide them with lots of nonfiction books that enrich their vocabulary because I agree with the author when she says to provide your students with good quality books.
Hi Corrie,
ReplyDeleteAmanda Justice shared a similar question about how to effectively utilize guided reading with our youngest students. I agree with you that it is typically not utilized but I definitely think there is a real opportunity for working with students in small groups to do shared reading utilizing some of the strategies Routman shared. I love that you are utilizing texts that integrate with your concepts and themes. Sincerely, Dawn