Guided reading
Guided Reading
By Voirrey Carr, Key Stage Three English
Consultant, Oxfordshire Advisory and
Improvement Service
Guided Reading is a very useful method of
giving individual groups of students quality
reading time in which the teacher can help
them to focus on the development of
particular reading skills. It involves working
with a small group for a short, focused session
– perhaps in the context of a reading based
lesson where the remainder of the class have
been given manageable and worthwhile tasks
to complete.
Typically, a Guided Reading session would take
up about 15-20 minutes so it enables the
teacher also to have interaction with the
whole class during the lesson. It is a very
effective way of differentiating for struggling
readers, who need more help in decoding
meaning, and helps teach higher order reading
skills to the more able. These students will be
much readier to participate in discussion in
the small group, often being very reticent in
the large class situation.
It is an important principle that students are
taught reading strategies and encouraged to
use them independently. It is also important
that the session ends with a backwards look
at the strategies encountered. It is a teaching
approach that is very well established in
Primary schools and many children will be
used to working in this way. Texts need not be
novels – poetry and non-fiction also allow
excellent opportunities for Guided Reading.
The teaching sequence below offers a guide to
the structure of the sessions – the teacher is
free to vary this according to their perception
Teaching Sequence
Introduction to text
Strategy check
Independent reading and
related task
Return to the text:
developing the response
Guided reading
2
I have been experimenting with Guided Reading in a number of Middle Schools in Oxfordshire,
with groups varying in ability from level 2/3 to level 6/7. It has been interesting to see how
much students enjoy being part of a small reading group and having some quality teacher time.
Although many children were able to use simple reading strategies with support; most were
unable to articulate what they had done; which underlined the need for explicit teaching.
Pupils are unlikely to be able to call on the appropriate reading strategies in other situations if
they have not clarified in their own minds what these strategies mean.
I think that many teachers will find it easiest to use Guided Reading as an adjunct to shared
text work and so have devised a series of Guided reading sessions for the novel Face by
Benjamin Zephaniah, published by Heinemann, so that the teacher can dip into a Guided
reading session at any point in the novel. Face has been a huge success with all the students
who have studied it. They enjoy the strong storyline and empathise with the central character
who believes that image is everything until he loses his good looks in a car crash.
Stories like this are ideal for Guided Reading sessions as students want to know what happens
next and delight in predicting likely outcomes.
For more information on Guided reading see the Dfes taining file – Guided Reading at Key Stage
Three, Dfes 0044/2002, available from Prolog.
Voirrey Carr, Key Stage Three English Consultant,
Oxfordshire Advisory and Improvement Service
Guided reading
Group
Year 8, session 1
Teaching objectives R2 use appropriate reading strategies to extract particular information R6 Adopt active reading approaches to engage with and make sense of texts
R8 Infer and deduce meanings using evidence in the text R3 Evaluate the effectiveness of the writing style
Text resources Face: Benjamin Zephaniah
A4 photocopies of page one with space for notes
Introduction to text Predictions based on cover. What kind of text is this?
What expectations do you have? What information do you get from the front/back cover? Consider the connotations of the word ‘Face’.
Strategy check What strategies would you expect to use in this type of text?
◆ Using prior knowledge about genre.
◆ Shared and reflective reading strategies deduce/infer/justify/evaluate.
Independent reading and Read introduction page silently.
related task ◆ Can you infer what they are talking about?
◆ Underline/highlight any words or phrases which seem to give you key information about what each of the characters is like and what sort of attitudes they have towards the topic they are talking about.
Return to the text: Discuss the above as a group.
developing response ◆ What differences do we notice in the language of Dr Owens’ writing?
◆ Can we distinguish between the other characters who are talking? Now read pages 1 to 6 as a group.
◆ In what ways is this more like the sort of opening you might expect to a novel?
◆ Any new characters?
◆ We have another voice here too – the author – what sort of attitude does he seem to have to the characters?
Skim read again and jot down any ideas of further info on Mark, Martin and Natalie.
Review Consider what information we have gathered about the characters and what different sorts of reading/writing we have been involved in during this first chapter.
Guided reading
4
Group
Year 8, session 2
Teaching objectives R2 use appropriate reading strategies to extract particular information R6 Adopt active reading approaches to engage with and make sense of texts R8 Infer and deduce meanings using evidence in the text
R3 Evaluate the effectiveness of the writing style
Text resources Face: Benjamin Zephaniah Reading notebooks
Introduction to text Review of last lesson and what we learned about the sort of book this is and the characters in it. Encourage to quickly skim the pages to remind
themselves.
Strategy check Strategies we used last lesson:
◆ Using prior knowledge about genre.
◆ Shared and reflective reading strategies: Deduce/infer/justify/evaluate.
Independent reading and Read page 7 and 1st sentence on page 8 silently.
related task ◆ Think about the different ways the boys and girls enjoy the fair.
◆ What do you understand by ‘it was like a park with the attitude of a beach’?
◆ Why does Martin like the park?
◆ Can we see any new things about his character here? (paragraph 2) Now read to the end of the chapter.
◆ What happens?
◆ Why do you think Martin does what he does?
◆ How can you tell when Martin is speaking and when the policeman is speaking?
◆ Find some examples of typical ‘police speak ‘ and explain the characteristics.
◆ What is Matthew’s attitude to what has gone on? – and Mark’s attitude?
◆ We are given quite a lot of information in the last bit of the chapter. Why do you think this might be?
Return to the text: Read pages 11-12.
◆ What sort of image does Martin like to project?
◆ What sort of people are his parents?
◆ How would you describe the tone in which his mother talks to him?
◆ What sort of night out would you expect Martin to enjoy?
Review Consider what information we have gathered about the characters and what different sorts of reading/writing we have been involved in during this first chapter.
Evaluation and points for future teaching
Guided reading
Group
Year 8, session 3
Teaching objectives R2 use appropriate reading strategies to extract particular information R6 Adopt active reading approaches to engage with and make sense of texts R8 Infer and deduce meanings using evidence in the text
R3 Evaluate the effectiveness of the writing style
Text resources Face: Benjamin Zephaniah Reading notebooks
Introduction to text Reminder of point we were at last time.
Strategy check ◆ Reading for meaning – what happens.
◆ Understanding inference – what sort of person is Natalie’s dad.
Independent reading and Skim read the opening of chapter 3 and then read on to the end of the related task chapter.
◆ What mistake does Natalie make when she is talking to the three girls – and how does it make her think about herself?
◆ Are there any difficulties in reading the bits which are speech?
◆ Try re-reading some sections – pages 15 and16 as a drama – it is easier to understand dialect if you can hear how it sounds.
◆ Page 16 – Why does Natalie say ‘I haven’t got any black friends...I’ve just got friends’?
◆ Look for evidence of racism in pages 16-19.
◆ What sort of attitudes do Mark and Martin have towards the police station?
◆ What techniques does the advert on page 20 use to try and attract custom?
◆ Look at the language used – why might Martin not be impressed?
◆ Does he mean it at the end of the chapter when he says ‘rap’s cool?’ – why does he say it?
◆ Explore the various attitudes taken in the chapter.
Return to the text: Do you think there is any future in the relationship between Martin and developing response Natalie?
Review We have now had significant intro of characters and we are moving on to the second piece of action in the novel.
Guided reading
6
Group
Year 8, session 4
Teaching objectives R2 use appropriate reading strategies to extract particular information R6 Adopt active reading approaches to engage with and make sense of texts
R8 Infer and deduce meanings using evidence in the text R3 Evaluate the effectiveness of the writing style
Text resources Face: Benjamin Zephaniah Reading notebooks
Introduction to text Reminder of point we were at last time. Skim read previous chapter and then read chapter 4.
Strategy check ◆ Skimming again to look for evidence of moods – model.
◆ Analysis of reasons behind moods – making sense of the text.
Independent reading and Need to have notebooks.
related task ◆ Draw in diagrammatic form the different moods in the chapter and the reasons for each.
◆ Reading for meaning – chart the different moods in the chapter and the reasons for each.
Return to the text: Skim read to page 32 and then read as a drama.
◆ Did all the characters deserve what happens here?
◆ What factors made the drivers so reckless?
◆ Did you predict it?
◆ What sort of changes do you think that this chapter will give to the shape of the novel?
Review How has the author been preparing us for what happens in this chapter, both in the way he described his characters and setting and in the action we have seen?
Evaluation and points for future teaching
Guided reading
Group
Year 8, session 5
Teaching objectives R2 use appropriate reading strategies to extract particular information R6 Adopt active reading approaches to engage with and make sense of texts
R8 Infer and deduce meanings using evidence in the text R3 Evaluate the effectiveness of the writing style
Text resources Face: Benjamin Zephaniah Reading notebooks
Introduction to text In the last session we saw Martin having to come to terms with how he now looks. The next two chapters deal with other consequences of what has happened.
Independent reading and Read chapters 8 and 9 carefully.
related task ◆ As you read think about the different sort of conversations Martin has with the doctor, the police and his friends.
◆ What do they have in common?
◆ What effects do each set of conversations have on Martin?
◆ Jot down reactions and page reference for evidence.
Return to the text: ◆ At this stage in the story are Martin’s biggest problems concerned with his medical condition and his friends or his being involved in a crime?
◆ Jot down a list of the extent of his difficulties under each heading.
Review We used reading backwards and forwards to complete today’s task.
Guided reading
8
Group
Year 8, session 6
Teaching objectives R2 use appropriate reading strategies to extract particular information R6 Adopt active reading approaches to engage with and make sense of texts
R8 Infer and deduce meanings using evidence in the text R3 Evaluate the effectiveness of the writing style
Text resources Face: Benjamin Zephaniah Reading notebooks
Introduction to text In the last session we saw Martin having to come to terms with how he now looks. The next two chapters deal with other consequences of what has happened.
Independent reading and Read chapters 8 and 9 carefully.
related task ◆ As you read think about the different sort of conversations Martin has with the doctor, the police and his friends.
◆ What do they have in common?
◆ What effects do each set of conversations have on Martin?
◆ Jot down reactions and page references for evidence.
Return to the text: ◆ At this stage in the story are Martin’s biggest problems concerned with developing response his medical condition and his friends or his being involved in a crime?
◆ Jot down a list of the extent of his difficulties under each heading.
Review We used reading backwards and forwards to complete today’s task.
Evaluation and points for future teaching
Guided reading
Group
Year 8, session 7
Teaching objectives R2 use appropriate reading strategies to extract particular information R6 Adopt active reading approaches to engage with and make sense of texts
R8 Infer and deduce meanings using evidence in the text R3 Evaluate the effectiveness of the writing style
Text resources Face: Benjamin Zephaniah Reading notebooks
Introduction to text Martin is going home in this chapter.
Strategy check Predicting what his difficulties will be.
Independent reading and Read to the end of the chapter. Martin’s mother brings him a new designer related task outfit to wear.
◆ Contrast this episode with the time earlier in the story when he also had an outfit to wear which he liked on page 11.
◆ Compare Martin’s attitude to the police to that shown earlier on in the story when he was at the fair in chapter 2.
◆ Do you think the police officers were too severe towards Martin, considering what has happened to him?
◆ Look at what they say and how they say it.
Return to the text: In chapter 13 Martin wants to go back to school. What problems might there be if he goes back too soon? Read the chapter. Is Mr Lincoln’s way of talking appropriate?
Why is Natalie not the tower of strength he hoped she would be. What will she say to Mark and Matthew when she rings them?
Review Evaluating :
◆ Are the problems Mark faces when he comes out of hospital his fault?
◆ Should he listen more to other people?
◆ Does anyone understand how he feels?
Guided reading
10
Group
Year 8, session 8
Teaching objectives R2 use appropriate reading strategies to extract particular information R6 Adopt active reading approaches to engage with and make sense of texts
R8 Infer and deduce meanings using evidence in the text R3 Evaluate the effectiveness of the writing style
Text resources Face: Benjamin Zephaniah Reading notebooks
Introduction to text Martin goes back to school in this chapter (chapter 14).
Independent reading and ◆ Read pages 85 and 86 and note down all the ways in which Martin feels related task singled out by other people.
◆ Read the rest of the chapter. Why did the quarrel with Simon start?
◆ Read pages 93 and 94 and show what Martin has begun to learn from that first day in school.
◆ Draw up a table showing the problems which arise in the dining room on pages 95 and 96.
◆ Explain Margaret’s behaviour on page 97.
◆ Read to the end of the chapter. Why is Martin not pleased for Natalie?
Return to the text: At the end of chapter 14 Martin is very angry to be given a Get Well card. Should he have been?
Review Has his first week back at school been a success or a failure? From the way Martin talks at the end of the chapter, how do you think he feels about his week?
Evaluation and points for future teaching
Guided reading
Group
Year 8, session 9
Teaching objectives R2 use appropriate reading strategies to extract particular information R6 Adopt active reading approaches to engage with and make sense of texts
R8 Infer and deduce meanings using evidence in the text R3 Evaluate the effectiveness of the writing style
Text resources Face: Benjamin Zephaniah Reading notebooks
Introduction to text Read chapters 16 to the end, thinking about the difficulties Martin faces.
Independent reading and Make a list of those difficulties. related task
Return to the text: ◆ Does Martin learn from his experiences?
developing response ◆ Why do you think the author resisted the temptation to have a happy ending with Martin and his friends winning the athletics tournament?
◆ Why does the author make Natalie so unsympathetic?
Review Evaluation of response:
◆ What sort of messages is the book FACE trying to give about images?
◆ Is it a book that you could recommend to anyone?
◆ Give three reasons why you might/might not recommend it to a friend.
