Reading Procedures: INDEPENDENT READING

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Reading Procedures INDEPENDENT READING

• Principal Project Officer
• South East Region

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Reading Procedures

• The ultimate aim of any reading program is to
  produce confident, competent and independent
  readers.
• The strategic use of a range of reading
  procedures ensures this as it provides a strong
  foundation for a comprehensive reading program.
• Each reading procedure involves varying degrees
  of responsibility for both the teacher and the
  student
• Using a selective range of reading procedures
  ensures that explicit instruction and guidance,
  when needed, is balanced with regular
  opportunities for the independent application of
  skills and strategies.

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What are Reading Procedures?

• Reading procedures provide meaningful contexts
  for focusing on selected parts of the reading
  process
• Characterised by a number of widely accepted
  steps or stages, conducted frequently and
  applicable to all phases of reading development

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Selecting Reading Procedures

• What is the purpose of the session?
• Which reading procedure will allow for the
  appropriate degree of student participation?
• What resources will be required?
• How will students be grouped?
• What will be planned for other students while
  working with a small group?
• What classroom routines are in place to enable
  students to work independently?

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7 Reading Procedures

• Reading to Students
• Modelled Reading
• Language Experience
• Shared Reading
• Guided Reading
• Book Discussion Groups
• Independent Reading

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Independent Reading

• Definition
• The independent application of previously
  learnt reading strategies to a self-selected
  text.
• USSR, SSR, DEAR, DIRT

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Independent Reading

• Description
• The focus is on students taking charge of
  their own reading they choose their own texts
  (and encouraged to select a wide variety of
  literary and informational texts), read silently
  and take responsibility to work through any
  challenges presented by the text.
• For readers who are unable to accurately read the
  print, independent reading could take the form of
  looking at the pictures and telling the story
  or sitting with a partner and sharing a text.

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Independent Reading Texts

• Range of literary and informational texts

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Key Features of Independent Reading

• Students select their texts
• Every one is involved in reading
• The session is uninterrupted

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Independent Reading Benefits

• Independent Reading helps students to
• read texts for enjoyment
• apply reading strategies
• re-read texts with which they have previously
  worked
• pursue their favourite authors or text forms
• select texts that match their interests

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Suggestions for Using Independent Reading in the
Classroom

• Planning for Independent Reading
• ensure there is a range of reading material
  available
• establish routines for Independent Reading, e.g.
  borrowing system, seating arrangement, noise
  level
• teach students how to select the texts. Jointly
  construct a class chart and have students refer
  to it when necessary.
• ensure the text organisation system is clearly
  understood
• allocate time each day for Independent Reading

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Conducting Independent Reading Sessions

• Re-iterate the routines for Independent Reading
• Have students select their own texts
• Have everyone read for the allocated time.
• Provide time for students to reflect on their
  readings

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After Independent Reading

• Provide opportunities for students to respond to
  the text, e.g. write in reading journal, discuss
  with a partner

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Ideas for Assessment

• Independent Reading allows the teachers to
  observe individual students as they read.
• Information can be collected about students
  self-selection of reading material, reading
  behaviours and attitude.

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Reflecting on the Effective Use of the
Independent Reading Procedure

• Did I set aside an uninterrupted period of time
  each day for Independent Reading?
• Did I encourage all students to read
  independently?
• Did I allow students to choose their own reading
  materials?
• Did I read? If not, did I use the time to observe
  and gather information about the students?
• Did I introduce the essential processes needed
  for Independent Reading?

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Reading Strategies

• During the reading process, prior knowledge must
  be activated and accessed to help make sense of
  the information in the text.
• Reading strategies are the mental processes used
  when identifying unknown words, comprehending
  text and accessing and using information.
• The explicit teaching of reading strategies is
  vital to ensure that students are able to
  successfully use their prior knowledge to achieve
  a purpose.

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Why Teach Strategies?

• Students must acquire a knowledge of
• a growing list of sight words
• graphophonic elements
• grammatical features of the English language
• text structures and organisation
• topics and concepts
• cultural and world matters
• Explicit demonstrations, on-going
  scaffolding and opportunities to practise and
  apply reading strategies will support all readers
  to identify unknown words, prepare for, monitor
  and adjust their reading.

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A List of Reading Strategies

Predicting Self-questioning Re-reading
Connecting Skimming Reading on
Comparing Scanning Adjusting reading rate
Inferring Determining importance Sounding out
Synthesising Summarising and Paraphrasing Chunking
Creating images Consulting a reference Using analogy
First Steps in Reading Reading Resource Book 2nd
ed. (2003) p. 114
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Teaching Strategies

• Each and every strategy associated with
  identifying unknown words and comprehending texts
  must be taught explicitly
• Before strategies can be taught, teachers must
  have an understanding of what efficient readers
  do and the strategies they use when reading
• The goal is for all students to select and use
  appropriate strategies flexibly and independently
  during any reading event

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How to Teach the Strategies

• Students should be introduced to a variety of
  strategies and understand how these strategies
  work together
• Focus on an individual reading strategy where it
  is introduced (modelling, sharing, guiding and
  applying) and practised time
• A unit of work focussing on one strategy may
  consist of a combination of demonstrations,
  think-alouds, time for practice, and
  opportunities to apply the strategy across other
  curriculum areas

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Using a Range of Reading Procedures

• Provides a strong foundation for a comprehensive
  reading program
• Produces confident, competent and independent
  readers
• Each reading procedure involves varying degrees
  of responsibility for both the teacher and the
  student
• Using a selective range ensures that explicit
  instruction and guidance is balanced with regular
  opportunities for the independent application of
  skills and strategies