those students who can successfully apply a specific skill and those who require extra practice and support. The beauty and benefit of guided practice is that teachers can provide interventions before students dive into long texts. It’s an opportunity to repair small confusions before they grow into large obstacles that can diminish students’ progress and reading comprehension. The selections in this book are age-appropriate and on topics that motivate and build the background knowledge developing middle school readers need. When students learn with these texts, they not only improve their reading skill, but they also develop the social-emotional well-being that develops when they learn from the poems and short texts appropriate for their grades instead of having to read books written for students in K−2. Though you might feel that finding the time for guided practice is a challenge, know that these lessons can greatly improve the progress of developing to proficient readers in Grades 4–8 by improving their reading skill and developing the self-confidence they need to press forward and work hard.
So how do you find time for guided practice? Most Grade 4–8 teachers have a block of time from 45 to 60 minutes a day to teach reading and an extra 30 to 45 minutes for writing. I favor ELA classes that open with independent reading, followed by an interactive read-aloud or mini-lesson. Guided practice lessons using short texts are part of instructional reading. Most guided practice lessons last fifteen to thirty minutes over two to three days. The graphic in Figure 1.1 shows how guided practice fits into a 50-minute ELA class. If you have a 42- to 45-minute block, you’ll only be able to complete guided practice and perhaps one conference.
Figure 1.1: Guided practice can be on any three consecutive days you choose.
Appendixes A and B show ELA schedules for 45- and 60-minute class periods. Adapt the schedules to your specific needs and keep the guidelines fluid, as some days you’ll spend more time on a task because that’s what students need. Be flexible, for it’s students who inform your instruction. Keep in mind that guided practice builds students’ reading capacity and skill as long as the students do the reading, thinking, discussing, and writing.
There are no recipes or premade scripts when you teach this way. Readers’ notebooks replace worksheets. Beautifully written and illustrated books relevant to students’ lives and interests replace the class novel, a basal, or computer program. Reading volume matters, and students can boost their reading mileage and skill when they do the reading and problem solving on their own (Allington, 2002, 2012, 2014; Burkins & Yaris, 2018; Krashen, 2004). Your students are the script; their interests, abilities, and needs are the recipe. And the professional reading and conversations you have with colleagues about teaching and learning enable you to support the diverse learners in your classes. It’s impossible for a pre-made program or one-size fits all scripted reading curriculum to know your students’ unique needs. Only you do! And the guided practice reading lessons in this book can help you capitalize on your knowledge and relationships with the students you teach.
Readers’ Notebooks Improve Comprehension
The research by Graham, Harris, and Santangelo (2015) makes a strong case for students writing about reading. The authors show that when students write about texts they can read, “their comprehension of that text jumps 24 percentile points.” That’s why having students write about reading should be an integral part of instructional reading lessons. Further, research shows that adults and students can only write what they understand (Murray, 1984; Self, 1987). So students’ notebook writing is your window into their thinking processes, their comprehension, and their ability to use language to express ideas. Reading students’ entries has a huge benefit; their writing informs your instructional decisions: to move on because students get it, to rewind and review, or re-teach.
Model how to respond in your notebook using your interactive read-aloud or another common text. Providing this mental model for students enables them to complete a task with understanding. See pages 26–27 for more on readers’ notebooks.
Chapter 1 What Developing Readers Need
Independent reading needs to happen every day.
This day was a first for me! I had worked with students reading one to two years below grade level but never with students entering fifth grade reading from an early first to second grade level. Most had never read a book; they listened to teachers read books aloud and worked on computer reading programs. To bring these fifth graders into the reading life, I knew they had to read, read, read, because volume would be key to their progress. Even though teachers had a daily 60-minute ELA class, it wasn’t enough time to change many students’ reading trajectories because there were 24 students reading from kindergarten to sixth grade instructional levels.
To solve the problem of time, the fifth grade team at Daniel Morgan Intermediate School in Winchester, Virginia, lobbied for an extra class. In January, the district funded a daily 73-minute class for 24 students reading from an early first to beginning third grade level; Stacey Yost, Bridget Wilson, and I team-taught the class. During the 15−20 minutes of guided reading, I supported the six English language learners (ELL) students reading at a beginning first grade level. They had been in the school system since kindergarten and spoke English well. But they couldn’t read.
At our first meeting, I asked the group, “How do you feel about reading?” No responses. I followed up with two questions: “Do you enjoy listening to teachers read aloud? Do you have a favorite book you’ve listened to?” Still, no one shared. Eyes focused on the table, they avoided looking at me. During the remaining time I started reading aloud, I Can Be Anything! Don’t Tell me I Can’t by Diane Dillon (2018). Students’ silence, shrugging of shoulders, and quizzical looks when I asked them to share their dreams told me that their hopes-and-dreams tanks were on empty.
The next day, during guided reading I asked, “Why do you think it’s important to learn how to read?” And Kendra blurted, “So others don’t make fun of us!” Silence. Nods of agreement—a door had opened. Three of the six students shared their feelings that day. They talked about times they had to read aloud and classmates laughed as they stumbled through a short passage or times when they couldn’t answer a question because they couldn’t read and understand the material.
After each class Stacey, Bridget, and I discussed what we had learned from students. Most carried negative reading baggage and covered up their lack of progress by checking out, from the school’s library and our class library, books they couldn’t read. They were desperate to look like grade level readers and avoid the comments about having to read baby books from peers.
How to choose a good fit book was a lesson Stacey, Bridget, and I repeated several times a week. We took turns modeling for students (see box). Six weeks later, we noticed some students selecting books they could read and enjoy. We celebrated these changeovers and gave students the gift of time they needed to choose books they could read and enjoy.
How to Teach Students to Choose a Good Fit Book
Think aloud and show what you feel and think when you choose a book that is too difficult: can’t say many words, don’t know many word meanings, and can’t recall details.
Think aloud
