Reading Groups...some success today!

I felt like today was a very successful attempt at doing reading groups...both successful in that the children were served adequately at their own reading level...and the behaviour was quite good throughout the hour. One of the keys of both is that I lay out very clearly to the children my expectations of their behaviour and what they will be doing.

So...this is how it went down...

10:30 gathered the children on the carpet and told them which children were going where today and what they would be doing.

At 10:45: My upper level readers, who I simply called group 1, went with the district literacy specialist as they have for the last few months. (That also takes away 4 of my behaviour children!) Group 2 went with the EA I was blessed to have in my room today. They read a book together a couple of times, with discussion in between, and then did an AR quiz on that book individually. Group 3 came with me for a guided reading lesson (using Primary Success materials). Group 4 started with writing words they recognized from around the room down on white boards.

At 11:00 I switched groups 3 and 4. Group 3 worked on worksheets that came with the guided reading lesson and Group 4 came with me where we worked on sight words and I started them on an individual ring of sight words. They were very excited about these words and also loved sharing the words they knew with me from off their white boards. Group 2 children came back and began to do their individual quizzes on the computer with the EA closely supervising. Children who weren't doing a quiz were given the choice of some fun worksheets (crossword puzzles, word search or colouring) or to read another book on their own.

11:15 Group 1 came back and were very eager to start doing their own AR reading and quiz-taking. Group 2 were still taking tests and were also colouring and doing other worksheets. A few of them were also reading more books for the AR. (They are very motivated for ribbons.) Group 3 had finished their worksheets and were now either reading or doing the fun language based work. Group 4 and I were working on putting their rings together (I've got to be more organized next time.) They were very excited about these rings and decorated name tags to put on them.

11:40 Time to clean up and get ready for lunch. I felt good about what had just occured over the past hour. Kids were focused, had their individual times, and reading was done.

Next time I want to invite Group 2 students to record themselves reading so that they can listen to themselves and others in their group reading books. I'm hoping that with some instruction, they will be able to identify what makes a fluent reader and come up with some strategies so that they themselves become fluent.

Group 1 students will work with Mrs. Rapin again.
Group 3 students will do Lesson 26 in guided reading.
Group 4 students will do lesson 2 in guided reading.

Favourite moment today ... from a student who is just starting to take off.... "I can do this 'cause I'm REALLY reading now!" Priceless!