Independent Reading 2:00-3:15 September 8, 2011 PDC

Balanced Literacy Time Recommendations Component Early Grades Upper Grades Word Work 30-40 minutes daily 20 minutes 2-3 days per week Independent Reading 120-200 minutes per week Supported Reading 150-200 minutes per week Writing

Structure of Reading Workshop Minilesson (10 minutes or less) Independent work time with instruction Children are engaged in private reading time. Teacher provides instruction during reading conferences and small-group work. Mid-workshop teaching Children are engaged in partner reading time. Teaching share time Similar structure to Writer’s Workshop Minilesson includes: Connection Teaching Point / Demonstration (Modeling) Active Engagement/Guided Practice Link Private Time Independent Practice, Teacher conferences Partner Time Students share with a partner about their reading Don’t forget to share!! Great time to drive home another teaching point! Remember to take time to setup procedures and expectations.

Architecture of a Mini-lesson Connection Connect today’s lesson with: yesterday’s lesson ongoing unit of study students’ work an experience outside of school Teaching point Present verbally Demonstrate or model Active engagement Children try out a skill or strategy with a text Children act like researchers as they watch a demonstration Children plan work out loud Children imagine trying a skill or strategy Link to ongoing work

Considerations Limit student talk Keep connections brief State the teaching point simply, and reiterate it Demonstrate the teaching point Use a familiar text Match the active engagement to the teaching point

Teaching and Assessment During independent reading time, the teacher: Conferences and notes students’ reading behaviors Gathers small groups for guided reading or strategy lessons Records informal reading assessments Assessment is impedded throughout each of the reading structures In Interactive Read Alouds, Shared Reading and Minilessons: listen in and note behaviors and comments and participation

Assessment – Considering Cueing Systems As fluent readers, we use all three w/automaticity Lines: what we use to tap system ?s: Ts ask when Ss miscue Which systems are over/underemphasized? Let’s have some experiences to exemplify use of these

Conferring Review notes from last conference with the student Listen and observe as student reads a few pages or a portion of their text Give student a specific compliment based on your observation Demonstrate a strategy Explain briefly what you did and the benefit Observe as the student practices Compliment student and restate teaching point

Teaching Share Time Mini-lesson Reinforcement Mini-lesson Add-on Mini-lesson Preview Problem-Solving Opportunity

Possible Units of Study Readers Build Good Habits Management and Procedural expectations Taking care of books How to stay focused on our reading Readers use strategies to figure out words Acquisition of print strategies Flexibility with print strategies Reading with fluency Readers think and talk about books to develop ideas Strategies for monitoring comprehension Envisioning, predicting, making connections, having thoughts

Planning Units of Study Backwards planning (goal setting) Brainstorming teaching ideas Drafting a teaching plan Revising when necessary Classroom library Materials and resources Work students are doing Support for struggling readers and strong readers Assessment Standards

Small Group Instruction Guided Reading Flexible groups of students at about the same level Teacher selects the text When students are ready to move to the next level Strategy Lessons Students can be at different levels – focus on strategy Students work in their own books When students need strategies within a level Table Conferences Interventions More practice or additional approaches

Options for Putting Reader’s Workshop and Small Group Instruction Together Option 1 – tuck Guided Reading and Strategy Lessons along with individual conferences into Reader’s Workshop Option 2 – Monday, Tuesday, Thursday – small groups within Reader’s Workshop. Wednesday and Friday – schedule Guided Reading with Literacy Centers