Guided Reading Case Study Critique

In this article, the interpretation of "Guided Reading" by Janet Seymour and Carmel French at the Lindisfarne North Primary School is seen more as a shared reading process. It extends from K-6th grade, which provides for continuity, better comprehension and fosters a love for reading. In the interpretation, Guided Reading provides a multitude of strategies and skills using a variety of resources, multi-intelligences, and experiences. Reading aloud, independent reading, shared reading and home reading are other important components to their reading program. Both case studies show the organization of groups, uses of a text, additional activities, and various methods of assessment. This affords students flexibility in learning styles at their own reading levels, engages them and keeps them motivated. Discussions, critical thinking, decision making, expression, interpretation, decoding words, and learning from each other seems to be the focus of these lessons. I find them to be well put together, scaffolding, and methodical in progression.

In the first case study, there were several activities going on at the same time and the students rotated, using the assistance of parental involvement. I can relate to this study, since it is a story/play that I have done with my students. I often set up centers with different activities for rotation. Each group gets the opportunity to experience each supportive activity using a different technique. I utilize stations which always involve a reading skill, in some way. Jane Seymour's case study was based on "The Three Billy Goat's Gruff "storybook and play format. The students read in small groups to adults and discuss the story (each having their own copy of the book). While the teacher works with the next group, the first group of students work on deciding who would be which character in the version of the play. After that was decided, they read the play in their respective character roles. Next, they designed and started to make a mask of their character, listing the materials they would need. They re-read the play using expression, actions and staging techniques. Upon finishing their masks, they performed the play in class and for their parents as a reader's theatre production. A narrator read from the text and the characters acted out the actions. The students put the text to life. This kind of lesson is something that the students will always remember because of the diversity and their personal involvement in creating the finished/final project. Assessing the students involved drawing and writing about their favorite character and a small check list evaluating their reading skills associated with this unit. I find this to be a model lesson and appreciate the cooperative learning that took place. It gave the students ownership and connected to their personal interpretations.

Next, Carmel French gives advise on her reading strategies and process. She advises the use of Silent Sustained Reading, while the groups rotate and work on other activities such as book reviews, writing activities, and technology. Students are introduced to new authors for further reading and development of understanding in different genres. There are Guided Reading groups in which each student reads aloud and is monitored by the teacher for fluency, interpretation, comprehension, discussion and various reading strategy skills (every 1-2 days, along with SSR group sessions). Student activities include drawing scenes from their book, creating a story map, and intervieing others in their group who act as characters in the story. These extension lessons are important to engage and motivate the students. Observing and discussing, reading pictures, inferencing, discussing the title, reading blurbs, predicting, reading other books by the same author, doing a KWL chart, vocabulary-meanings, identifying stages of the book, parts of a story and researching, helps student's comprehension, fluency and understanding. The only way to read and develop your skills is by doing it. The more you read, the more you will enjoy reading, Exposure to all kinds of reading helps students develop a love of reading. Through practice and enjoyment, students will become more fluent and develop a higher level of comprehension. Ms. French emphasizes the importance of knowing the book your students are reading. The teacher must read the book first! She also feels that re-visiting a book allows the opportunity for students to see things from different angles. Adding related work most often goes beyond the text when you re-visit a book. I think familiarity is a good way to bring new thoughts to the table. In my experience, I have always found it to be better the second time around. The students participate more and have feel comfortable sharing thoughts.

In the second case study, Carmel French outlines the process she uses for reading a complicated, mature book. Her 6th grade class worked with "The Giver" by Lois Lowry. This book is recommended for grades 6-10. It deals with stages of emotion and memories. There is always a pre-reading lesson, containing a discussion of ideas (like the anticipatory set), Q&A and "reading the book cover". The reading and discussions are guided to assist the students understanding.
They address questions in groups, and come together to share their ideas (think, pair, share concept). The chapters are broken up, with specific tasks to perform, gaining a better comprehension of the difficult reading for 6th graders. Students brainstorm and record the information in their reading log. Many questions of thought are presented and discussed, as well as re-introduced as the plot develops. The students are encouraged to develop their own thoughts and opinions based on prior knowledge and experiences relating to communities and emotions. Students self interpret phrases from the book, chart the main character's experiences and feelings, and respond to questions left for interpretation, with a writing activity. The students also write the meanings of given words, as used in context, locating them on specific pages given. The discussion points are specific and necessary for comprehension, including euphemisms and the connection, in relation to today's society. These lessons analyze a step-by-step view of the book in detail, presenting questions like what if..., who, what where, when, why and how? They present the problems, possible solutions, and resolutions. The students document and become well aware of the parts of a non-fiction book, in relation to this story. An important skill, practiced here, is to be able to form your own conclusions through reason. For the last chapter, students write and draw what they think happens. They compare their answers with the author's, researching it on the internet. After reading the entire book, students complete the plot line and character profile they have been working on, conduct interviews, and create a mural which must depict sections/ happenings in the book (given by the teacher and allowing room for student choices). A variety of resources and materials are used and important, non-fiction literacy skills are learned.

I find the topic of the book, "The Giver" to be too extreme and comprehensive for use in a 6th grade class. How many weeks did it take to do this? It seems like an awfully long time. I believe in the power of mini-lessons for elementary school learning. I find that they pique the interest of students more, as the topics/books change. A chapter book wouldn't be a mini-lesson, but something less involved and deep would be more appropriate and, I think, would serve the student better. You have to keep students motivated. This book may be something I would use in the upper grades of high school. Sixth graders are only 11-12 years old. There are many other choices of chapter books to use where you can accomplish and apply the same skills, and follow the same procedures of instruction. However, I did enjoy the detailed process given and the advice preceding this case study. Although, I liked the first case study the best. Maybe it's because it is more relative to my own subject and it is a lesson for younger students, like I teach. The continuity of a guided reading program through 6th grade is a good idea, I feel. Shared reading, discussion, Q&A, a love of books, improved comprehension skills, discussing a book cover, forming opinions, exposure to various genres, experiencing works from other authors and illustrators, connecting personal experiences to the text, offering extension activities, and bridging prior knowledge to lessons is effective and beneficial to all types of learners. A pre-reading activity or discussion, guided reading, shared reading, read alouds, think-pair-share activities, organization graphs, KWL/WHL charts, independent reading, home reading, reading/reading, vocabulary words, definitions, contextual reading, phonemic awareness, pictoral reading, audio books, e-books, visuals, dramatizations, games, technolog programs, differentiated instruction, various forms of assessments including self and peer assessments, multi-media and kinesthetic activities, accomodations and modifications for ELL and inclusion students, a variety of resources, writing and cross-content work, etc..., must all be kept in mind when planning your lessons for any subject. The list goes on and on. The more you offer your students, the more they will receive, develop, and learn to be independent readers and learners.

If you're interested in reading the article, please use the link provided below.
http://wwwfp.education.tas.gov.au/english/guide.htm