Guided Reading Basics: Organizing, Managing, and Implementing a Balanced Literacy Program in K-3

Lori Rog provides a model for Guided Reading that can help teachers meet the varied needs of their K–3 students. The keys to her Guided Reading model are:

• working with small, flexible groups of students with similar instructional needs;
• using texts that are carefully chosen to provide the right balance of support and challenge;
• providing instructional support through scaffolding to build reading strategies and develop the habits of independent, lifelong readers.

The heart of the book is a close look at the guided reading lesson itself. With direct reference to text samples, each chapter deals with the guided reading lesson at a different reading level: emergent, early, developmental, and fluent readers. The final section discusses instruction strategies, with chapters on phonics, vocabulary study, comprehension strategies, retelling and responding to text, and the use of non-fiction in the guided reading program.

Teachers will find practical, classroom-tested strategies for organizing, managing, and implementing effective guided reading strategies in the early years. It lays the groundwork and shows new and experienced teachers how to:

• fit guided reading into a balanced literacy program;
• organize the class for independent learning;
• create flexible reading groups and select the best reading materials to meet the instructional needs of each group;
• assess and monitor student learning.