Jennifer Campbell, Blogpost #7: Routman Ch. 10: Examine Guided Reading

In this chapter Routman discusses how to set up guided reading in the classroom.  Students in first grade and above will usually participate in guided reading groups that are based on ability, interests, and other factors.  She mentions that in K5 guided reading may not exist and instead the teacher may teach through whole group instruction, conferencing with students, and occasional small groups.  I really appreciate when she says “..increased pressure on teacher to have children reading in kindergarten has often meant limiting or usurping such crucial activities as playing, building with blocks, painting, acting out stories, and even reading nonfiction and fiction aloud.”. 

 As a K4 teacher I do break my students up into small groups to read simple repeating books, but mostly we are working on reading during whole group instruction.  Routman suggests using a daily morning message, read-alouds, book walks, and a variety of writing opportunities (journals, charts, labels, etc.).  One activity that I learned at a workshop is called “Pictures With Vocabulary.  I have a picture taped onto chart paper and the students spot things in the picture for me to label.  They then help me sound out the words and figure out how to spell them.  It was recommended to use as a way to introduce students to unfamiliar vocabulary and expose them to new things.  Before reading this chapter, it never occurred to me that this is considered a more age appropriate replacement for guided reading for younger children.