Beyond the Basal: Beyond the Basal: Reader’s WorkshopReader’s Workshop

February 23, 2012…schools shouldn’t be about handing down a collection of static truths to

the next generation but about responding to the needs and interests

of the students themselves-Alfie Kohn

Today’s Class

• Describe the Readers’ Workshop Approach

• Discuss Independent Reading• Discuss Text Selection• Participate in a simulation of

Readers’ Workshop

Inquiry Time

• Use this time to explore materials for your Inquiry Topic

• Discuss with others• Take ideas you would like to try

in your classroom before the next meeting

• Group Share- Is there anything new that you’ve tried? How did it work?

What do reader’s do?

Think of yourself as a reader• How do you approach reading?• Where do you like to be when you

read?• What do you do when a text is

difficult?• What do you enjoy? • How does it affect you?

What is Reading?

• Reading is thinking. Readers are aware of what they are thinking as they are reading and use strategies interchangeably as they read.

• Reading teachers model the thinking process through “Think Alouds” to model the thinking that takes place while reading

5 Behaviors of Readers • Focus reading attention and set purpose in

some way (Predicting strategies)• Ability to organize information during and

after reading (Categorizing, remember what to keep and what to throw away)

• Elaborate on ideas and clarify information (Able to answer questions of others or ask questions themselves)

• Summarize• Self-monitor and Self-correct (Understand

when they don’t understand)

Analyze your Instruction

• Complete the continuum about Reader’s Workshop

• Think about the materials available to you in your classroom, complete the chart.

CCSS and Reader’s Workshop

Intent of the Standardshttp://www.corestandards.org/the-standards/english-

language-arts-standards

College and Career Readiness• What on earth does this mean?

Reader’s Workshop

• Format for classroom reading instruction

• Students interact with texts and each other in a meaningful way.

• Students learn how to select reading material.

• Apply the reading strategies and skills of proficient readers.

Schedule

• Meeting Time (10 minutes)

• Minilesson (15-20 minutes)

• Work Time (30-45 minutes)• Ending Meeting (5-10

minutes)

The Daily 5Gail Boushey and Joan Moser – The Sisters

1. Read to Self2. Read to Someone3. Listen to Reading4. Work on Writing5. Word Work

Meeting Time

Meeting Time- • Discuss expectations• Review procedures• Check to see which students

would like a conference or inform students that you need to conference with them

MinilessonMinilesson (15-20 minutes)- In most cases this is done

with the whole group. The teacher can focus the minilesson on:

• Comprehension strategy• Use of a graphic organizer• Modeling a method for responding to reading• Share a piece of reading and a response• Modeling a reading strategy thought a Think-Aloud• Read-aloud• Introducing an Author/Illustrator (Students can do this

too)• Plan for what students will be doing during work time.

– Can give an assignment at the end of the minilesson (“Everyone is to choose a character trait graphic organizer and complete it ” or “Everyone should write a Found Poem using the text they are reading”)

– Determine which students will be working in the guided reading group, if it is happening that day.

Work Time• Guided reading groups- teacher

works with a small group who need help with a strategy. Students still read their individual texts

• Independent reading time• Partner reading• Small groups reading a common text

meet together• Teacher individual conference• Peer Conferences• Opportunities for Reader Response

Ending Meeting

• Students can share a story or response

• Discuss the assignment for the day and share responses

• Review successes• Solve problems that may have

arisen during workshop time

What it looks likehttp://www.learner.org/vod/vod_window.html?pid=1732

Teaching Reading: K-2 Workshop, #9 (Beginning or 6:30)http://www.learner.org/vod/vod_window.html?

pid=1987Engaging with Literature, #8, (2:00)

1. What grouping formats does the teacher have?

2. What was the “minilesson”3. How did the teacher transition the students?4. What happens during the conference?Complete the Venn Diagram as you view

Our Reader’s Workshop• Class Meeting– Expectations during RW

• Minilesson– What readers do to make sense of texts– Monitor your Reading

• Independent Reading– Mark Post-its with “L”– Listen to the voice in your head. – When it tells you “Wow, I never knew that” or “This is

interesting” Write it on your post-it

• Partner Share your New Learning• Ending Meeting (share what you did)

Practice, Practice, Practice-Explicitly teach the expected behaviors and routines of Reader’s

Workshop. The first minilessons should focus on:

• How to move around the room during reader’s workshop (how to come together as a group, where you can read during independent reading time)

• How to treat books and other reading materials (audio tapes, computers, etc.)

• Modeling how to have conversations about books• Selecting “just right” books• How to use the classroom library• Where to find and how to care for materials (highlighters, post-

it notes, writing materials, art materials)

Have a Variety of Texts• Expand your definition of texts. Reluctant

readers can be motivated to read magazines, newspapers, comics, graphic novels, books on tapes, film. They can incorporate the comprehension strategies using these texts and may be motivated to read other texts when they see that reading is a valuable pastime.

• This is a time for readers to actively engage in reading that is genuinely interesting to them.

• Reader’s Workshop is an opportunity for the English Language Learners in your class to engage with texts in their first language.

Stop, Start, Continue

After tonight’s class, think about your reading instruction. What is something you feel you’d like to

• Stop (something that just doesn’t work for students)

• Start (a new idea you want to try)

• Continue (something you are doing that works really well for students)

Next Time

• Reader Response