During Reader's Workshop,
students are introduced to strategies for decoding and comprehension to
enable them to learn how to read or to read better. The love of reading
is encouraged, and students are provided with many opportunities to
practice their skills.
The workshop begins with a mini-lesson,
where the teacher teaches different techniques for reading while
providing rich literature. Direct instruction takes place during this
segment of time.
In
our kindergarten, students then break into their reading groups based
on assessment. One group of students will meet with the teacher in guided reading.
Here the teacher works with students who are reading on the same
reading level. Each student has an individual copy of the same book
being highlighted by the teacher. Skill instruction is based on the
needs of the group. The books are on the students' instructional level, which is one level higher than their independent reading level. Time is also available for individual conferences.
Another group is reading independently during their "private" reading time. Here the children are practicing their skills using books that they can read. These books are one level below what the teacher is instructing in guided reading.
Still another group is busy reading with partners, who are reading their books in their Look Book
bags and practicing their skills by echo reading, choral reading, or
part reading. The children are sitting elbow to elbow, knee to knee with
a book in the middle for both to see! Together with their partner, the
students will reflect on their readings, ponder questions, and develop
divergent thinking while clarifying their thinking.
A literacy center provides a variety of games and fun activities for each of the groups to practice their different skills.
After the students have had the opportunity to rotate throughout all of the centers, students gather for the very important share time. The class meets together to discuss the strategy they focused on and to discuss how they used it.