A balanced reading program encompasses shared, independent, and guided reading activities to foster literacy skills in students. Shared reading involves teacher-led sessions where students interact with challenging texts using tools like big books, chart paper, and projectors to enhance engagement and comprehension.
Helps to build on students knowledge and use more complex reading strategies with teacher support
Shared reading should take place everyday for Emergent and Early readers, 2 to 3 times per week for Fluent Readers
Level of books: challenging enough to encourage problem solving with teacher support while still engaging the students
Teacher led with student interaction, second step of gradual release of responsibility
Objects relating to the story, puppets, sticky notes, tape are materials that are helpful for shared reading
Big books, chart paper, projector or SmartBoard to allow students to engage in the book and follow along
Read alouds
Time: 10 to 30 minutes depending on the age of the children and the discussions occurring
Teacher led, first step in gradual release of responsibility
Level of books: generally higher level of books than students are reading that lead to rich discussions
Variety of genres read
Used to demonstrate or model cueing systems and reading strategies for students
Independent Reading
Before, During and After reading activities
Engaging activities and centers that students work in
Classroom library
Literacy rich environment
Practice and consolidate learned reading strategies
Includes: reading to self, reading with a partner, readers theater, literature circles, and other activities
Final stage of gradual release of responsibility. Students should be able to engage in independent reading activities with no support from the teacher (or very little support)
Guided Reading
Time: 10 to 15 minutes
Word walls and posters can be effective for guided reading and knowing the strategies to use if the posters and wall words are used appropriately
Materials: Many copies of levelled books, semi-circle table to sit around teacher, magnetic board and letters, chart paper, sentence strips
Great time to assess students and their individual needs
Meets specific needs for individual students
Apply previously taught strategies to the texts they are reading
Level of books: just above independent reading level (this is because they have teacher support and guidance as they read)
Small group of students that are around the same level and working on the same reading strategies
Bridge between shared reading and independent reading, handing more responsibility over to the students
