A Sneak Peek Into Reader's Workshop

 Mini Lesson

Reader's Workshop begins with a short mini lesson at the rug.  This particular lesson was about making predictions when reading.  I told the children that making predictions is one strategy good readers use to help them to better understand the story. 

Guided Practice

Next we read a portion of the book Roller Coaster by By Marla Frazee

Click the link below to hear the story being read aloud:

Roller Coaster

We made predictions about the story based on the title and front cover.  Then as I read we stopped to make more predictions.

Read to Self

During this time students are engaged in self-selected texts at their independent level.  They use his time to practice the skills that are taught during mini lessons and guided reading groups.

Guided Reading

I meet with groups of students who are all reading at the same level.  I provide them with a common text at their instructional level.  I introduce the book, point out important text features, challenging vocabulary, and/or essential story elements.  I listen to students as they "whisper read".  The lesson is followed up with a lesson point.  

Raz-Kids

Read to Someone

Once the children have had an opportunity to read to themselves they can choose to read with a friend.

Share

Reader's Workshop always ends with a sharing time.  Children can share reading strategies they incorporated during guided reading, read to self, read to someone, listening to reading, and Raz-Kids.

Victoria shares a prediction she made while reading.

Liam shares a word he got stuck on and the strategy he used to help him:  tapping out the word.

Jack shares a reading strategy he used as well. When decoding the word splat, he first found a chunk of the word he knew (at).  Then he tapped out the consonant blend (spl).

I am really hoping that your children are incorporating strategies introduced at school when reading at home. The following are some of the strategies learned to date.

To improve accuracy: 

    Use the pictures

    Tap out the sounds

     Look for chunks in the word that you know

     Skip the word and come back

     Flip the vowel sound (for example if your child sounds out the word kind with a short i and it doesn't make sense, flip the vowel sound to long i)

      Go back and reread

      Think, does it make sense?

To improve comprehension:

     Make predictions

     Make connections

To expand vocabulary:

     Pay attention to interesting words

To improve fluency:

     Pay attention to punctuation

                                         

Please help your child leave a comment below indicating at least one reading strategy they have used when reading at home. Scroll to the bottom of the post.  If you are the first person commenting click No Comments.  Help your child enter his/her comment.  I am encouraging them to write it in letter form:

Dear Mrs. Hancock,

When I was reading Silly Sally, I made a prediction about how Sally would get to town.  

From,

John

Finally, click Name on the scroll down bar after Comment As.  Have your child add his/her name and publish.  The comment will not appear until I approve it.  

We will be reading the comments next week.  Thank you for your cooperation with this. 

Happy Reading!

Common Core Standard - Reading Foundational Skills 1.3

Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.