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How To Plan A Guided Reading Lesson...and a FREEBIE

 How To Plan A Guided Reading Lesson


Guided Reading is a systematic approach to teaching students various areas of reading (accuracy, fluency, comprehension, & language) while using text that students can read but still need support.  This approach has been proven over time to be a highly effective way to grow readers.  It can seem overwhelming, but once you have a good structure in place you'll be successful regardless of the group.  The first step is know how to get started and that is all in the planning!

Step 1: Assessment
  • You need to know what to teach! This is a critical step otherwise you are not getting the most out of your time and your students are not getting exactly what they need.
  • Run a running record based assessment on each student.  This could be a simple benchmark passage from Reading A-Z or something more formal like a Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment or even a DRA (Diagnostic Reading Assessment).  There are several options, but these are the best and most consistent that I've used.  The F&PBA is the gold standard of reading assessments and it is what I recommend, but if you are just trying to structure your reading groups then pick something simple so that you can get started.
  • Whatever you use you want to look for the level that is considered "Instructional", typically there is a chart or something to help you determine that level.  The more formal the assessment the more clear the explanation.  However, if you don't have that then make a determination yourself.  You want the text level where the student was fairly accurate and fairly successful discussing the text.  I know that sounds vague.  You certainly don't want the text level where they struggled to read most of the words or couldn't talk about what happened or the one that they flew through and could tell you every detail.  It has to be somewhere in between.  
Step 2: Analyze Your Assessment Results *very important step
  • When you find the instructional level, then start looking at how you can make groups.  You can group students up to one level difference but shouldn't go much more than that.  For example a B and C could be in a group together and it's meaningful, but a B and a D will have less success.  Groups should not have more than 6 members (4 is ideal).
  • Once your groups are set then start to look at their assessments more closely. Ask yourself:
    • What areas were the most difficult for them?
    • How did they solve words they didn't know?
    • How did they sound when they were reading, fluent, choppy, skipping punctuation, etc.?
    • What did it sound like when they were talking about the story, out of order or focusing too much on details, etc.?
    • What strategies do they need to be successful with this level?
    • What are the biggest areas of concern?
    • What did they do well?
  • You do not have to answer all of these questions formally, but they should help you to make determinations about the groups you've created.  For example you may have a group that is reading between an A and a B...they may need more support with correctly blending letter sounds and recognizing high frequency words in text.  This tells you a lot about where you need to focus and the kinds of books you will be selecting.
Step 3: Pick the text & Set the Purpose
  • This is what you would consider the actual planning, but you can see how so much more has to happen first.
  • Once you've gone over the needs of your groups prioritize the most foundational skills first.  For example if you have a group that is needs work on their phonics skills, fluency, and retelling, then make the first focus phonics skills or accuracy.  These students won't be as fluent or be able to retell well if they can't decode.  That doesn't mean you don't address the other two.  It just means that you address the decoding with a little more time and while reading keep reinforcing those decoding strategies. You can also elect to use decodable readers for these students and worry less about if its a "level A" or a "level C".  Your students needs are what drives the text selection. You can still address fluency through rereading and retelling with an after reading activity.  Eventually you will be able to stop focussing as much on the decoding and on the fluency and then on the retelling.  
  • Keep in mind that Guided Reading is only one part of your literacy instruction.  You should focus on the most foundational skills that your students need to move forward.
  • Once you know your purpose for the group or at least the most important skill to address, then select a text in their guided reading level that will provide them with well supported opportunities to apply that skill.  For example if your group will be focussing on decoding, then pick a text that has CVC words or even a decodable text.  If you are working on retelling then select a story with a predictable plot and clear events.  
  • Selecting the text and making a strategic plan are part of the GUIDED part of Guided Reading.
Step 4: Make A Plan
  • Guided Reading plans do not have to be for only one session.  Depending on the length & depth of the book and the time you have with each group they may be for 2 to 3 sessions with one group.  
  • See my post on a simple guided reading plan HERE. I provide a simple structure and go into detail for each of the three main components: Before Reading, During Reading, and After Reading.
Follow me for more information about literacy instruction and check out my Instagram account @simply_for_teachers to see even more tips and resources.

If you're looking for decodable readers, check out my TPT store Simply Primary for several sets that INCLUDE lesson plans and reading activities!! Easy! Done!

Here is a simple guided reading lesson plan that I created for FREE!! Just visit my store Simply Primary and download it! You can use it with any guided reading group, just print and go!


Leave a comment or a question and let me know what you would like to know more about regarding literacy.

Thank You!!
Kristin
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