Learning Without Boundaries 01/07/10
"Back when I first started teaching, we used what was called a basal reader. Basically, it was a collection of stories. We would read to the entire class, or we would assign the same story to everyone at once. There would be a lesson attached and usually some kind of worksheet. We always had the good readers, the average readers, and the struggling readers. Typically they were grouped according to their ability, and they pretty much stayed in those groups. We worked hard to help kids learn to read, especially those who had a hard time. It was frustrating when kids didn't progress very quickly or didn't learn to love reading," said Wales Elementary first-grade teacher Lynne Mayer.
The most important difference between the way Lynne teaches now and the way she taught when she began is that she has so many books in her classroom, all at different levels of difficulty. One of the key things that has come out of the research on reading is that the best way to help children grow in their abilities is to have them read lots of books that are at their just right developmental level.
"When I used the old basal, the story was way too easy for some kids and way too hard for others. Now I match books to kids. Children learn how to choose books that are just right for them, and the kids go 'shopping' for books every week. Instead of just reading for about 15 minutes and then going to a different work station (often to fill out a worksheet),
"My first-graders are now reading books that are appropriate for them for 35-40 minutes every day. While they are doing that, I walk around and engage in conversations with students to find out what reading strategies they are using and what lessons I can plan to help them grow. Then they form partnerships and share ideas about their story's characters, plot, setting, or just favorite juicy parts. This builds a natural sense of excitement, engagement, and accountability for their reading. The end result is that my students' love for reading and growth has increased significantly," said Mayer.
The instructional model that allows for all of this to happen is called Reader's Workshop.
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