Guided Reading Favorites *Freebie*

Hey Folks,

Guided reading is one of my favorite times of the day.  Working with small groups really gives me a chance to get to know my kiddos and their reading behaviors more intimately.  

One thing I couldn't live without is my table...

This table allows for a group of 5 or 6 to fit comfortably around the teacher.  Every now and then I have a group of 7 - which isn't ideal but it's do-able.

Another favorite of mine are my whisper phones. A dad made a class set for me years ago and I don't know how I'd live without them - especially when I have my kiddos read at their own pace - no more round robin! Another trick that I talked about here is to have them alternate how they are sitting at the table...face in, face out, face in...

I dig my reading logs...even though I'm still struggling with whether or not to use them.  I like that I can show parents that when we work together their child GROWS.  

If you remember - I didn't know what I was doing with Reading Logs.
Due to accountability factors - I opted to stick with them.  

Something else I love is my conversion chart on my lanyard.  I mostly have this committed to memory - but when a parent or teacher {I've even had my first graders ask me}comes up to me and asks me where a fourth grader should be reading I can flip my card over and tell them.  It's not a must - but it's handy dandy. I got mine at The Booksource.

Who doesn't love a good flash card?  I use these for so many different things. I have kids jot down notes, I use them as bookmarks, we write down new vocabulary, and use them for incremental rehearsal...

They are pretty cheap too...

Not sure what incremental rehearsal is?  Here's a video explaining how this intervention strategy works. I've been using it with my kiddos who continue to struggle with their sight words. 

Our strategy bookmarks...couldn't live without those!!!!

My literacy parapro - who I ALSO couldn't live without...made these for me and said I could share!
Thanks, Tammy!

I talk about how I introduce each strategy at the beginning of the year *here*.

My newest possible favorite is the Record of Reading app for my iPad.  I don't know about you, but the amount of paper I go through in my classroom bugs me.  I'm in the market for a nice stylus to use with my iPad so that I can use this free app to do running records.  In this app you can keep track of your students' reading, record their reading, email it to yourself {or your interventionists, parents, etc.} and print it out {which I wouldn't do much of}.  I haven't played around with it much yet...but I think it has potential of being a favorite.

I could keep going...I just love guided reading.  Do you have any favorites that you'd like to share?  I'm always in the market for new ideas!!!!