Reading is at the core of elementary education. Not only is it at the heart of all academic pursuits, but modern society requires literacy for lifelong success. Thus, it is no surprise that many teachers spend the bulk of their day providing language arts instruction. Although lessons can take countless forms, educational researchers have identified a few reading programs that provide the greatest opportunities for student success.
Introduction to Guided Reading
One of the most promising literacy lesson formats is known as “guided reading.” While teachers generally do not use this strategy in isolation, it can be a useful component of a whole literacy curriculum. During a guided reading session, an educator has the opportunity to work with a small group of students on a specific reading skill or strategy. Meanwhile, the rest of the class may be kept occupied with any number of other literacy activities.
Guided reading was first introduced as one of the key components of Pat Cunningham and Dottie Hall’s four-block program. However, many schools now employ this technique even if they do not ascribe to the other components of the four-block schema. The benefit of guided reading is that it allows students to work at a level and pace where they feel comfortable. Additionally, it gives the educator the opportunity to tailor instruction specifically to individual students’ needs.
Groups for guided reading consist of students with similar abilities. Reading levels are assessed in a variety of ways, but many schools employ a standard running record or QAR (Question/Answer Relationship) test. Once group levels are established, teachers generally select texts from one of the many leveled reading publications available. These books are specifically designed to match students’ abilities.
A Guided Reading Lesson
A guided reading session should be divided into three segments. First, prior to reading the selected text, the teacher should help students establish a purpose for reading. This can include making predictions about the text, posing a hypothetical question, or presenting a problem to be solved. Additionally, the teacher may need to explore potentially challenging vocabulary in the selection. During this phase, the educator should also emphasize a specific reading comprehension strategy students may use during this session.
Once the group is prepared to read, the teacher will select a student to read aloud. In some cases, particularly with low-level readers, the teacher may ask the whole group to try reading together. As students read, the educator’s role is to monitor and provide support. This includes correcting pronunciation, clarifying vocabulary, and asking comprehension questions. At the close of the lesson, the students summarize what they have learned and the teacher may assign a follow-up task.
Ultimately, the goal of guided reading is to improve students’ independent reading abilities. They should be able to take the skills learned in a guided reading session and apply them to texts read without teacher support.
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