Let's Read... I'll Help

I found a great guided reading article by E. Francine Guastello and Claire Lenz called "Student Accountability: Guided Reading Kidstations." The article discusses the major benefits that guided reading provides students. According to the article, guided reading creates opportunities for students to develop literacy strategies, develop abilities to be independent readers, enjoy reading for meaning, and develop different behaviors that facilitate comprehension. Reading is a major aspect in the world today and guidance is a major facilitator for children learning to newly read.  Guided reading is also a good chance for teachers to observe students and their abilities to self-monitor, decode, self-correct, and read with expression. This article  is very helpful because it provides information about what a successful guided reading program involves. Class size can be a major issue. Many teachers can end up spending more time with one group during guided reading time than others. From the article it suggests that teachers should establish independent kidstations for guided reading time. Teachers can create the kidstations prior to the school year and spend at least 5 to 7 weeks demonstrating to children how to complete the various activities. The article goes on in much detail of how each kidstation would work and provides tables of different activities and layouts for the classroom. I really liked the ideas in this article and will definitely use the strategies within my classroom and suggest it to other teachers as well.