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You
are here: Recently, considerable attention has been paid to the construct of the balanced reading program in K-8 classrooms (Spiegel, 1999). Margaret Mooney, well-known teacher educator and literacy authority (1990; 1994a; 1994b; 1995a; 1995b) describes the balanced reading program. She notes how teachers can work toward it through three related, but different, approaches; reading to children daily, reading with children (shared reading and guided reading), and reading by children (independent reading such as in literature circles). She provides clear definitions and accessible explanations for each of these approaches, and includes samples of the way teachers could introduce a text, frame questions, and guide successful reading and comprehension for each approach.
For example, instead of continuously stopping a read aloud to ask children questions or to generate predictions, Mooney (1994a) suggests that teachers carefully select and plan for presenting books. With their students' needs, interests and attitudes in mind, teachers can read aloud fluently, judiciously demonstrate thinking beyond the text, and take time to receive children's responses and invite them to return to the book at a later time. This organizational model of "introducing the book, reading the book, returning to the book (and subsequent readings) and continuing the dialogue between the author and the children" (p. 91) is the same for all the approaches to reading.
Though all of the approaches are critical at every age and grade level, many writers state that guided reading, part of the reading with approach, is the cornerstone of the balanced reading program (Routman, 2000; Fountas and Pinnell, 1996; 2002). Mooney (1995a) defines guided reading as
. . . when you [the teacher] and a small group of children, or when you and a child, talk, think and read through a text which offers manageable challenges for each reader. Your role is one of support ensuring that the children read with comprehension (p. 54).
Routman (2000) concurs with this definition. Similarly, Fountas and Pinnell (1996) state that "through guided reading …teachers can show children how to read and can support children as they read . . .. It is the heart of a balanced literacy program" (p. 1). Fountas and Pinnell (2002) refine this definition when writing about guided reading for grades 3-6. Here they state that "it is an approach designed to help individual students learn how to process a variety of increasingly challenging texts with understanding and fluency" (p. 193).
Most educators acknowledge that focused and purposeful instruction, as proposed in guided reading, is necessary for developing readers. However, such instruction is often abandoned by third or fourth grade, with the mistaken view that now that those students have learned to read, they must read to learn. The high numbers of struggling readers found in intermediate, middle school, and high school classes indicate the need for continued guided instruction and practice with fiction, informational text, and content area texts and materials such as those for social studies, science and math. Many older competent readers, as well as those who struggle, need to see and hear the kinds of questions good readers of such texts ask themselves, and how they access specific information from indexes, chapter headings, picture captions, and tables of contents. In short, they need guidance in identifying and recognizing text features particular to the kinds of books and resources they need or want to read, not just while they are in school, but in their lives and work beyond.
The basic materials used for guided reading are leveled books. These are books from teachers' or a school's collections that are categorized by difficulty and specific criteria those teachers at a certain grade level or throughout the school agree on. Typically, readability formulas are not used; rather, the books are looked at in light of matching them with children and their instructional levels, and for older readers, adding criteria that corresponds to text features, and different text structures to name just a few. According to Routman, (2000) "the best systems judge books based on gradually increasing gradients of difficulty, building on readers' growing competency and problem-solving abilities" (p. 83). For developing readers, Routman lists basic criteria to consider when leveling books, These include elements such as print formatting (size; spacing), page format, language patterns and structure, predictability, genre and content of text, illustrations (and whether or not they support the text), and vocabulary and concept load (p. 84).
Pinnell and Fountas (2002), highlight the important difference between grade level and gradients in leveling books. They echo Routman's (2000) criteria, and expand it by detailing the demands of texts on readers at every level of their gradient. The authors thoroughly explicate the characteristics of leveled books and how they are matched for instructional purposes with the range of readers in a classroom. They provide examples of different genre, format, and text features. In addition, they discuss leveled books for independent reading. As noted above, several researchers and authors have written texts, provided lists of leveled books, and have shown how guided reading lessons can be integrated into the daily life and structure of the classroom. Mooney (1996) addressed the needs and means for creating guided reading lessons for student beyond the primary grades. Fountas and Pinnell (1996), focused first on guided reading in the primary grades, and included pages of resources and leveled books to assist teachers. More recently these literacy researchers have published two companion volumes on guided reading and writing at the intermediate level. The first, Guided Readers and Writers Grades 3-6: Teaching Comprehension, Genre, and Content Literacy (Fountas & Pinnell, 2002), acknowledges the strong relationship between reading and writing, and broadens the notion of balance to the entire literacy program. In guided reading at intermediate and higher levels, the teacher is responsible for facilitating students' successful reading of new or unfamiliar text.
Though the basic framework of introducing, reading, and revisiting the text is still part of the structure of guided reading lessons, Pinnell & Fountas (2002) have added a few new steps. In their structure, reading is done silently, with conferring. There is discussion and revisiting the text to discuss the meaning. If appropriate to the text, teachers have the option to include extending meaning and word work (p. 5). The teachers take a direct role in supporting and guiding the students' reading and meaning making. They form instructional groups, plan for the teaching points they have identified in the leveled books they select, model and demonstrate reading and thinking strategies, and pose questions that invite their students to actively construct comprehension, study new words, and consider different authors' styles, techniques and purposes for writing
Fountas and Pinnell (2002), provide excellent examples of how teachers plan and prepare for 3-6 grade guided reading lessons for both fiction and nonfiction texts. The transcripts of the lessons record the actual questions and instructional teaching points the teachers pose, and the students' responses. In addition, the transcripts demonstrate how word study and attention to specific text features such as picture captions, information in charts and maps, and insets or boxed features extend the students' thinking (p.204). The companion volume, Leveled books for Readers Grades 3-6 (Pinnell & Fountas, 2002), discusses the purpose of leveled books and provides guidelines for teachers who want to level their own classroom collections. It also includes an extensive list of leveled books sorted by alphabet, title, genre and level. What follows now is two sample guided reading lessons. Both are based on the genre of biography, and both are designed for upper intermediate/middle school readers.
The first lesson, from The Life and Death of Crazy Horse (Freedman & Bad Heart Bull, 1996) assumes that the readers are familiar with the genre and that they are fluent readers. There are some text features that may be new for some readers, and the author's stance on Crazy Horse, and accompanying historical ledger drawings may provide a new or unfamiliar perspective on this period of history.
The second lesson is based on Krull & Hewitt's (1995) witty biographical sketches of famous artists, Lives of the Artists: Masterpieces, Messes (and What the Neighbors Thought). The readers this is designed for are struggle with long texts, and with getting experience in reading a variety of genres. This lesson is designed to reintroduce or familiarize them with biography, make reading the selection a successful experience, and providing other ways that they can demonstrate their comprehension of the text.
Brief annotations for each book have been provided. To see how I attempted to tie the questions and the purposes for reading to both the students' prior knowledge, and to the text, having the books at hand and reading these pieces would be best.
Guided Reading: Grades 5-8
Freedman, R. & Bad Heart Bull, A. Illus. (1996). The Life and Death of Crazy Horse New York: Holiday House.
Chapter 1: "The Strange Man of the Oglalas"
Genre: Biography
Annotation:
This uniquely formatted biography details the life of Crazy Horse within the larger context of his resistance to the appropriation of the Sioux hunting grounds and the destruction their way of life on the Great Plains. Freedman has carefully researched his subject. In addition, he has linked his clear and engaging prose with ledger drawings by Amos Bad Heart Bull, an Oglala Sioux, which were discovered in 1926. Beginning in 1890, Amos recorded aspects of the Sioux culture, and the hostilities (including the Battle of the Little Big Horn in which Crazy Horse and his warriors defeated Custer), that eventually led to Crazy Horse's death. The story of how the ledger drawings were recovered is fascinating, and could lead to further study of this important style of recording the stories and history of this crucial and devastating time in our country.
Purpose:
To introduce students to specific features of a biography
To introduce the author Russell Freedman
To introduce and orient readers to Crazy Horse and his impact on the
history of the Untied StatesQuestions and Topics for Reading/Discussion:
Introduce book, title and author, and note the drawings by Amos Bad Heart Bull.The title tells us that this is a biography. What information do you expect to be presented in this book? What are some of the conventions of a biography?
What are some of the special features of text that are commonly included?
(Table of Contents; Cast of Characters; Chronology; Bibliography; Acknowledgments; Index).Turn to the drawing on p. 2. Have you ever seen or heard of ledger drawings before? Explain or read aloud to the students the author's notes "About the Drawings" (pp. 152-155). Discuss Amos Bad Heart Bull's role as a tribal historian and how the ledger drawings were found. What were the implications for historical documentation and interpretation of these drawings?
Look at the cover painting. It is by a contemporary artist named Ronald Himler. What sense of Crazy Horse do you get from this piece of art?
What do you know about Crazy Horse? Where did you learn this information?
Look at the table of contents where the chapter titles are. What information do you think you're going to learn about Crazy Horse? What clues do these give you about how Freedman approaches his subject?
Look at the "Main Characters" pages. After the "Contents." Have you read or heard about any of these people before?
Turn to p. 1 and read the title of the chapter. What do you expect to find out about Crazy Horse in this chapter?
Read silently to the end of the first paragraph on p. 3 (look up when you are done), then jot a quick note about the picture you are forming of Crazy Horse based on this information. What characteristics made him strange?
Does your mental image match the illustration on the cover of the book?
Read on to end of the fourth paragraph on this page, and see what other details about Crazy Horse contribute to the idea that he was different than others. .
How would you describe Crazy Horse's temperament?
Read to the end of this chapter and see what the life of Crazy Horse and the Sioux was like before the whites invaded their land and major conflicts began.
What was life like for Crazy Horse and his people?
What mood or tone does Freedman leave us with at the end of this chapter?
Before reading on, identify two or three questions you have about Crazy Horse and the period of time in which he lived. Jot these down. (Take time to do it now). Check the table of contents and the index to see whether these questions or topics are included. As you read on in the text, see if Freedman answers your questions in the book.
Guided Reading: Levels 5-8
Krull, K. & Hewitt, K. (Illustrator) (1995). Lives of the artists: Masterpieces, messes (and what the neighbors thought). San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace & Company.Chapter 8: "Risking His Life for Art: Vincent Van Gogh"
Genre: Biography
Annotation:
The lives of 19 well-known artists are presented in short, accurately researched, and sprinkled with humorous and slightly gossipy written portraits. This text provides another style of biography, and is a good introduction to the genre as well as to the artists. The pieces are appropriate for upper intermediate and middle school students. The lively text, illustrations and length of the selections would also serve struggling readers at these and higher grade levels.Questions and Topics for Reading/Discussion:
Based on the title of the book and the portraits (take time to look through several), how do you predict the authors treat their subjects? Read the title and the subtitle of this short biography. Who and what is this piece about?Think about what you already know about Van Gogh. (Take time to share) Read to the bottom of the first paragraph on p. 42. What image of Van Gogh is starting to form in your mind? Jot down some of those images or sketch them in your journal as you read. When you are done reading and writing or sketching, look up so I'll know you're ready. Share briefly with your table.
Continue reading to the end of the piece at the top of p. 45. As before, jot notes or sketch the images that you construct as you read. When you are done, consider whether theses images are the same or different than the one in your mind when you began reading. What, if anything, has changed?
Read the notes on Van Gogh's Artworks at the bottom of p. 45. What do these descriptions tell you further about Van Gogh? Which images would be most appealing to you? Why? Where could you find reproductions of these images? Which books or resources could you use to find them? (Follow up on this if intending to continue further study of artists and their work.).
References
Blair-Larsen, S. M. & Williams, K. A. (Eds.) (1999). The Balanced Reading Program: Helping All Students Achieve Success. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
Fountas, I. C. & Pinnell, G. S. (2002). Guiding Readers and Writers Grades 3-6: Teaching Comprehension, Genre, and Content Literacy. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Fountas, I. C. & Pinnell, G. S. (1996). Guided Reading: Good First Teaching for All Children. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Mooney, M. (1994a). "Reading to Children: A Positive Step on the Road to Literacy." Teaching K-8, (25): 90-92.
Mooney, M. (1994b). "Shared Reading: Making it Work for You and Your Children." Teaching K-8, (25): 70-72.
Mooney, M. (1995a). "Guided Reading: The Reader in Control." Teaching K-8, (25): 57-58.
Mooney, M. (1995b). Guided Reading Beyond the Primary Grades. Teaching K-8, (26): 75-77.
Mooney, M. (1990). Reading to, with, and by Children. Katonah, NY: Richard C. Owen.
Pinnell, G. S. & Fountas, I. C. (2002). Leveled Books for Readers Grades 3-6: A Companion Volume to Guiding Readers and Writers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Routman, R. (2000). Conversations: Strategies for Teaching, Learning, Evaluating. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Trade Books
Freedman, R. & Bad Heart Bull, A. (Illustrator). The Life and Death of Crazy Horse. New York: Holiday House.
Krull, K. & Hewitt, K. (Illustrator) (1995). Lives of the Artists: Masterpieces, Messes (and what the Neighbors Thought). San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace & Company.
Melissa Rickey is a core faculty member in the Center for Programs in Education at Antioch University Seattle where she teaches literacy and teacher research courses. Her interests include Children's and Young Adult Literature, response to literature, and reading and writing processes and development.
Melissa J. Rickey, Ed.D.
Core Faculty, Literacy
Antioch University Seattle
2326 Sixth Ave.
Seattle, WA 98121-1814
mrickey@antiochsea.edu
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