6th Grade Guided Reading: Comprehension, Vocabulary, and Guided Writing, Oh My!

Small group reading instruction is one of the best ways to increase reading proficiency. This additional "dose" of reading instruction will complement the instruction your child is receiving with you or their classroom teacher. Your child does not have to be in 6th grade to take this class. Look at the examples below to see if the text level for this class is appropriate for your child. (Note: These are not the texts I will use for instruction.) I will adjust the text based on the group's needs.  

Examples of the text level that will be used in the class:
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
Many Waters by Madeleine L'Engle  
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert O'Brien
Percy Jackson series (i.e., The Lightning Thief) Rick Riordan
 
This class is listed as being 35 minutes long. However, classes may be as short as 30 minutes or 40 minutes, depending on the text and the reading rate of participants.

I've taught guided reading groups as a classroom teacher and a reading specialist with success. This small group format lets me get to know your reader better yet allows them to talk about their reading with peers. We work on comprehension monitoring, comprehension skills, developing vocabulary, decoding strategies, and guided writing focused on enhancing comprehension and retention. I teach the students before me, meaning I follow their lead and tailor my lessons to fit their needs.

We will be reading early 6th-grade level short text each session. In each lesson, students will read a different text, reread the same text to build comprehension and fluency, allowing for scheduling flexibility. I will start by using stories from Reading A to Z and digitally provide the texts in each class. There is no need to buy books. However, students may want to have a book of their choice by their computer to read if they finish before the rest of the group.

Each class will follow the following format: 
*We will begin with a book introduction so that the students are familiar with the text before reading it. The book introduction may include looking at pictures and making predictions based on the title and the story's first paragraph.
*I'll introduce any new vocabulary that the group will need to understand the text. I'll define the word, connect it to the real world, show how it works in the story's context, and have students turn and talk, using the target word in their conversation.
*I'll model a comprehension strategy for the students. We may use the same strategy over several sessions.
*The students will read the text to themselves. Then, I will briefly meet with individual students, prompting them to use strategies that they have learned.
*We will discuss the text or write about the story. If we write about the story, I check in with students to ensure they apply grammar, spelling, and punctuation skills and assist them when necessary.
*I will give a preview of the next lesson. 
*After the lesson, I will note if the text was too complex, appropriate, or easy for the students. I will also write down the focus for future lessons based on my observations and note, which I would like to work with during the next session.

We will read books from Reading A-Z. You do not need an account. The following is a list of texts that students currently taking the class have chosen to read. Titles are listed through the end of January. However, the class will run until June.

* Week of November 21st- The Girl Who Became a Computer (No class on November 24th)
* Week of November 28th- Rescue on the Ice; Stubby the Hero
* Week of December 5th- Apollo 11; Private Spaceships
* Week of December 12th-Camp Nowhere; Life Beyond the Wall
* Week of January 9th- Mystery of King Tut; You Can Print What?
* Week of January 16th- Great City Fires; Influenza
* Week of January 23rd- Violent Weather; Wordsmith, Private "I"
* Week of January 30th- Blackbeard's Doom; Daniel Inouye: A Hero From Hawaii
*Week of February 6th- Amelia Earhart: Across the Atlantic; Harriet’s Escape