Understanding Guided Reading

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Understanding Guided Reading

• By Fountas and Pinnell
• March 1, 2007

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What is Guided Reading?

• Guided reading is a teaching approach designed
  to help individual students learn how to process
  a variety of increasingly challenging texts with
  understanding and fluency.

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Small Group

• Guided reading occurs in a small group context
  because the small group allows interaction among
  readers that benefit them all.

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Rationale

• Purpose of guided reading is to meet the varying
  instructional needs of all students.
• Since teacher has carefully selected a just
  right text, students are successful and can
  practice strategies good readers use.

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Two Essential Elements

• Text provides right level of support and
  challenge for the students abilities
• Text must be introduced in a way that gives
  children access to it while leaving some
  problem-solving to do.

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• Both elements depend on the teachers knowledge
  of the children in the group, the texts, and the
  reading process.

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Role of Guided Reading

• Three interrelated contexts for teaching
  reading
• Independent reading
• Literature Study
• Guided Reading

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Grouping Students

• similar reading behavior
• similar text-processing needs
• similar reading strengths

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The Learning Zone
What the learner can do with the support of an
expert other
What the learner can do independently
The Learning Zone
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Teacher Creates Learning Zone

• Carefully select text
• Introduce text
• Support and interact briefly with student during
  reading
• Teach with clarity after reading

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Zoom Lens

• In each guided reading lesson, teacher is using a
  zoom lens to focus provide specific and focused
  instruction to a small group of students.
• Students needs are addressed at one particular
  point on the developmental continuum.

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Carryover Benefits

• Small group guided instruction enables children
  how to thinkabout a text
• They will carryover their reading competency to
  all other classroom reading independent reading,
  literature study and content areas.

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Great Reads!
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Fountas and Pinnell Website

• www.fountasandpinnellleveledbooks.com