By Christina Delk

What is Guided Reading? Guided reading is small-group instruction for students who read the same text. The group is homogeneous: the students read at about the same level, demonstrate similar reading behaviors, and share similar instructional needs. The small groups are temporary; they change as you assess your students’ growth and needs. Within these groups, students are reading books which they can read with 90-94% accuracy and 90% comprehension. The teacher’s focused instruction is provided as support to allow students to gain the skills necessary to move on to the next reading level. --from Guiding Readers and Writers: Grades 3-6 by Fountas & Pinnell

Sample Guided Reading Lesson Plan Before Reading- (Day 1) Introduction Focus on vocabulary, phonics, sentence structure, content, and/or word work Includes a Picture Walk During Reading- (Day2-4) Read for meaning and fluency Opportunity to discuss figurative language Teachers review selected comprehension skill and students practice (with support) After Reading- (Day 5) Extending the Meaning of the Text (Optional) Different authors’ treatment of the same topic. Different books by the same author. Different biographies of the same individual. Similar concepts across fiction and nonfiction. Genre study. More Word Work (Optional) Quick word solving lesson that is taught in isolation from text.

Visual Supports for Selected Comprehension Strategies Create chart with visual prompts for student reference (see example) Assign a graphic organizer to each comprehension skill (This may also be used to assist in DRA/DRA-II testing for students who require visual references.)

Guided Reading Scheduling What are the Other Students Doing While I’m Teaching Reading Groups? Students could be reading independently or working in center activities related to reading. Another option is a rotating schedule of three stations that include Guided Reading (with you the teacher), individual intervention, intervention with assistant or another teacher.

Why use Guided Reading with DHH students? “…this model pinpoints a student’s instructional reading level, the teacher is able to build upon each student’s knowledge base to steadily improve language skills, word recognition, fluency, and comprehension skills regardless of initial ability and background.” Current research over the past two years at Michigan School for the Deaf indicates a possible growth in reading skills of a half to two years each year. (“Guided Reading Approach,” Barbara Schirmer & Laura Schaffer, Teaching Exceptional Children, May/June 2010)

How to adapt a Guided Reading program for DHH students Make sure students understand book knowledge (cover, back, spine, author, illustrator, letter, word, sentence, beginning, end…) *Pre-teach vocabulary *Have students read in story sign ( “aloud”) *Retell in ASL *Can also incorporate bi/bi methods of determining differences in both languages Other strategies: Student contract (set reading goal together) Phrasal verbs Figurative Language Multiple Meaning Words Sight Words (with multiple meanings) Constantly review comprehension strategies Track progress on everything and share with student!

Using assessment to drive instruction Sight words (with multiple meanings) Miscellaneous Data (for literacy goals) Running Record: track fluency and miscues DRA/DRA-II: track student comprehension Use this information to change groupings or intervention focus.

Administering the DRA-II The Guided Reading approach requires regular student assessment of reading skills. The DRA/DRA-II tests reading comprehension and gives a score that can be correlated with a grade level Use assessment to identify the independent reading level of students then progress up to find instructional level (used for guided reading groups) DRA-II : K-3rd and 4th-8th grade kits Demonstration

Ways to Adapt Running Records Note when students use fingerspelling- if there is a designated sign it probably means the word is unknown. Go back and check for comprehension after read aloud if needed. If student uses voice consistently to communicate, note when endings (Ex. –s, -ed, -ing) are not pronounced for collaboration with speech pathologists or audiologists. Note when incorrect meaning for a multiple meaning word is given. (Student is not reading for comprehension.) A similar method of adapting running records with described in “Miscues: Meaningful Assessment Aids Instruction, Pamela Luft, Odyssey 2009)

Reading Interventions QuickReads Science and social studies based Passage is read three times to build fluency: once by student (silently), once by teacher, again by student Vocabulary improves through repetition Charted data Levels A,B=second grade then progress C=third, D= fourth, etc. Comprehension Plus Introduces the focus comprehension skill in easy-to-understand terms. Motivates reading with high-interest selections written on a specific grade or reading level. Connects topic and skill to a writing activity, and reviews and maintains previously taught skills. Successmaker Reading (Online w/ site license) Earobics Good for students with some residual hearing; builds auditory discrimination, listening, memory… Example using syllables:

How to adapt reading interventions for DHH students Quickreads: Be slightly lenient on timing fluency to account for signing delay. Comprehension Plus: Make sure questions are clear. Successmaker: Visual supports, white board/markers, and/or interpreter for students who sign.

Questions?