| What is guided reading? | | | | the sea. I would then ask a series of |
| What are some guided reading activities? | | | | questions: Is the family happy or sad? |
| How about guided reading demonstrations | | | | Why are they standing next to a |
| or guided reading lesson plans? | | | | monument? What are monuments for? Why is |
| Using guided reading as a teaching | | | | the mother holding flowers? By |
| strategy has become more and more | | | | answering these questions, the students |
| popular as the emphasis in education | | | | conclude that the Iwasaki family has |
| continues to focus on how to increasing | | | | brought flowers to some solemn place, |
| reading comprehension As a teacher | | | | and at least one reason they are sad is |
| mentor, I often have teachers ask me | | | | that they are ?so far from the sea?. |
| questions about guided reading similar | | | | Students can then predict where they |
| to those above. However, as with any | | | | think the Iwasaki family is on the cover |
| other reading strategy, increasing | | | | and the goal of the guided reading can |
| reading comprehension depends highly on | | | | then be to discover if their predictions |
| what the teacher does ?before? the | | | | are correct. |
| reading assignment. | | | | However, I would not start the guided |
| First, though, what is guided reading? | | | | reading just yet. First, I would take |
| Simply put, in guided reading students | | | | the students on a "picture walk" through |
| are placed in small groups with similar | | | | the book. The pictures in a book can go |
| reading levels. Children read either | | | | a long way towards increasing |
| silently or aloud to themselves, but | | | | comprehension. In this particular book, |
| they do not read in unison. In early | | | | the father often reflects back to his |
| guided reading groups books are chosen | | | | youth when he and his father were |
| based on a 90% accuracy level. Books | | | | interned in the prison camp. This |
| should also match a child's interests | | | | reflecting, however, can create problems |
| and knowledge base. | | | | for some readers. Fortunately, the |
| Of course, two problems exist. First, | | | | illustrator, Chris K. Soentpiet, has |
| to do all that guided reading suggests | | | | drawn pictures in both color and black |
| can be quite challenging and maybe even | | | | and white. The color pictures are |
| impossible since kids with similar | | | | present day (1972) at the abandoned |
| reading levels do not necessarily have | | | | prison camp. The black and white |
| similar interests or knowledge bases. | | | | pictures are during World War II when |
| And second, the teacher still needs to | | | | 10,000 Japanese-Americans were interned |
| tap into and build upon the student?s | | | | at the Manzanar War Relocation Center in |
| prior knowledge of the subject matter | | | | eastern California. The "picture walk" |
| (before reading) if the teacher truly | | | | also provides a great opportunity to |
| wants to increase reading comprehension. | | | | point out any words that the students |
| A great teaching strategy to overcome | | | | may have trouble with. For example, I |
| these obstacles and improve guided | | | | would certainly point out "Manzanar War |
| reading instruction is to do a three to | | | | Relocation Center" written on a sign in |
| five minute book introduction as a | | | | an early illustration in the book. |
| scaffold for the first reading of a | | | | These words come up often and the |
| text. | | | | pictures provide a great opportunity to |
| Here is an example from an historical | | | | explain their meaning. |
| fiction guided reading lesson I did with | | | | By "walking" through the pictures to |
| 8th graders during our unit on World War | | | | introduce the book, a teacher can tap |
| II. Eve Bunting's book, ?So Far From | | | | into students' prior knowledge and also |
| the Sea?, is a beautiful story about the | | | | have students predict what the text is |
| Iwasakis, a Japanese-American family | | | | about. Furthermore, teachers can clear |
| that goes back to visit the "relocation" | | | | up any comprehension concerns they may |
| camp where the father was interned for | | | | have about the book, such as "jumping" |
| three and a half years during World War | | | | back and forth between 1943 to 1972. |
| II. While the content is serious, the | | | | The "picture walk" will, in turn, |
| book is actually a picture book written | | | | increase students' interest in the book |
| on a second grade level. Nevertheless, | | | | and therefore increase students' |
| an introduction to the book is necessary | | | | motivation to learn. This is all done |
| to scaffold learning, clear up any | | | | prior to the actual guided reading. |
| comprehension concerns, and ultimately | | | | Remember, guided reading is a great |
| make the guided reading instruction more | | | | reading strategy, however, teachers must |
| successful. I would start with the | | | | still activate prior knowledge and clear |
| cover, both the title and the | | | | up any comprehension concerns if they |
| illustration. I would point out the | | | | really want to increase reading |
| mountains in the background and explain | | | | comprehension and get the most success |
| that the family is clearly very far from | | | | from their the guided reading. |