Guided Reading

This week I "Using centers to engage children during guided reading time: Intensifying learning experiences away from the teacher." While this article did not focus primarily on guided reading lessons, it did speak of the importance of strong centers for children to visit while others are visiting the teacher at the guided reading rotation. Ford and Optiz believe that, "the power of the instruction that takes place away from the teacher must rival the power of the instruction that takes place with the teacher." (p. 710) This means that teachers should strive to have meaningful centers that are not cut-and-paste activities or worksheets. The centers they suggested set the children up to be successful, independent workers in centers that would "give them the opportunity to warm up before, review after, or extend beyond a guided reading session." (p. 714) This article helped me to see that while guided reading time with the teacher is essential, utilizing all time away from the teacher is also key in helping young readers. As teachers we must know our students, their reading and writing abilities, and their degree of independence so that we can create appropriate centers to help them become independent readers which according to the article is the ultimate goal of guided reading.

At the school I spend time at weekly, I see a lot of worksheets and cut-and-paste activities in their reading rotation centers. Have you seen the same, or have you experienced meaningful centers in schools?

http://www.learner.org/workshops/readingk2/support/ReadingTeacher.1.pdf

Making Words

While reading the articles this week, the making words section in Cunningham & Cunningham's article stood out to me. I love the way that they took the letters from one bigger word and used them to have the children make other words and see patterns. During CARE in Knox County Schools they often use pocket charts to build words, and I have seen how much the kids enjoy going up to the chart and making the words. I think that if there is the time for Making Words, kids would really enjoy the activity. Not only does it meet the needs of the struggling children in the class while providing a challenges the more advanced kids, but it is fun! Now that's a great way to have differentiated instruction!

What's an Anchor Chart?

Before reading Gregory and Cahill's article, I had never heard of the term anchor chart. An anchor chart is a chart that you create as a class that helps to ‘anchor’ information in student’s minds. In the case of this article, they used anchor charts to ask questions about the story and then make inferences. I liked seeing their examples of anchor charts in the article, so I thought I would look for some more good ones.

I like this one because it is laminated and can be reused!

This is a neat way to think about inferences.

Have you seen teachers use anchor charts in the school? Will you use them?