ThinkAlong Think Aloud

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Think-Along / Think Aloud

• Thinking is the essence of reading!
• Reading is more than just saying words!
• Reading is thinking!

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Guided ReadingFour Blocks Style

• Always focused on comprehension
• Teachers choose the material and purpose
• Students are guided to use reading strategies
• All types of reading materials are used

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Guided ReadingFour Blocks Style

• Teacher driven (Bossy Block)
• Lots of rereading reading a different way for a
  different purpose!
• Arranged this way only because of the other three
  blocks as support.

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National Reading Panel Research (December 2000)

• Fluency is one of several critical factors needed
  for reading comprehension.
• Fluency is gained by way of two instructional
  approaches guided repeated oral reading and
  independent silent reading.
• Both approaches had significant positive impact
  on word recognition, fluency, and comprehension
  across a range of grade levels.
• Results apply to good readers as well as those
  experiencing reading difficulties.

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National Reading Panel Research (December 2000)

• Less than 1/3 of fourth graders are reading
  adequately (April 1995)
• Now we know that reading must be taught
  systematically and explicitly.
• Research has been systematically analyzed and the
  most effective methods for teaching reading
  skills have been identified.
• We must have balanced literacy in our classrooms!
• Reading is an enormously complex activity!
• TEACHING READING IS ROCKET SCIENCE!

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Four Blocks Research

• Comprehension is what its all about!
• Reading comprehension and how to teach it is
  probably the area of literacy about which we have
  the most knowledge and the most consensus.
• It is also probably the area that gets the least
• attention in the classroom.

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Four Blocks Research

• Both NRP and Duke and Pearson (2002) agree that
  explicit teaching, including an explanation of
  what and how the strategy should be used, teacher
  modeling and thinking aloud about the strategy,
  guided practice with the strategy and support for
  students applying the strategy independently are
  the steps needed to effectively teach any
  comprehension strategy.

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Effective Guided ReadingThree Segments

• Before Reading
• During Reading
• After Reading

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Before Reading

• Building/Accessing Prior Knowledge
• Connecting to personal experiences
• Developing vocabulary
• Taking a picture walk
• Making predictions
• Setting purposes for reading
• Graphic organizer
• Story map, story frame, story web,
• Lotus, Fishbone, KWL chart

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During Reading

• Variations
• Choral, Echo, Shared Reading
• Partner Reading
• Small, flexible groups
• Three-ring circus
• Book club groups
• ERT
• Sticky note reading

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During Reading- Partner Reading

• Variations
• Take turn days
• Ask question days
• Sticky note days
• You decide days
• Tips for Assigning Partners
• Pair students who work well together.
• Pair struggling readers with considerate and
  nurturing stronger readers
• Give stronger readers square shape/strugglers
  with circle shape

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After Reading

• Teacher helps the children with
• Discussing the text
• Connecting new knowledge to what they knew
• Following up predictions
• Acting out the story
• Discussing what they have learned and how they
  are becoming better readers using strategies
• Completing the graphic organizer (KWL Chart)

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Big Blocks - Variations

• Bookmarks
• Sticky Notes
• Highlighters
• Read-Cover-Remember-Retell
• Reciprocal Teaching
• Two Word Strategy
• Word Theater
• Good Reader Strategies

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Question What do I do about worksheets and
workbook pages?

• as little as possible
• Three criteria for a good worksheet
• Must involve some reading and/or writing
• Majority of my class (75-80) must be able to do
  it
• Students must need work on that skill

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Errors and Misunderstandings

• Teachers express anxiety about their redefined
  role.
• Primary purpose is to improve comprehension.
  Other Blocks provide an appropriate context for
  skills instructions such as phonics, grammar, and
  mechanics.
• Round-robin reading is not a part of this model.
• Non-prescriptive every classroom looks
  different.

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What we know

• We know a great deal about how good readers
  comprehend, what the comprehension strategies are
  and how to teach them. Our job now is to
  implement reading comprehension instruction in
  every classroom.
• Dr. Lola May
• Know your stuff
• Know whom you stuff
• Stuff them elegantly