Dissecting and Experiencing the Reading Workshop for Teachers and Administrators

1. Dissecting and Experiencing the Reading Workshop for Teachers and Administrators Pacific Union Conference Of Seventh-day Adventists Lynal Ingham / Martha Havens

2. Reading Workshop Rationale Strengths: • Students read at their own level • Reading skills (comprehension strategies, fluency, word solving) are taught based on individual and group needs • Activities are student-directed with students working at their own pace • Teachers work individually with students • Love of reading may increase! Extended time daily for students to read authentic texts that interest them Drawbacks: • Teacher may feel a loss of control • Students must learn to be task oriented and use time wisely to succeed.

3. What happens during Reading Workshop? • Students choose books and read and respond independently • Teachers monitor students’ work through conferences making note of areas of need • Students share books they have read with their classmates during sharing time

4. Reading Workshop Schedule/Components:20-30 minutes or 50 minutes every other day • Teacher Sharing Time (5-10 minutes) Reads aloud / Teacher sells a book • Workshop Time (35 minutes) • Mini-lesson (5-10 minutes) • State of the class (5 minutes) • Independent reading • Responding to independent reading • Conferencing • Record keeping • Reading project • Student Sharing Time (5-10 minutes)

5. Teacher Sharing Time/Read AloudChoices may include: • Books connected to the monthly theme or other subject matter • “Sell” books from your classroom library • Share some favorites!

6. Workshop Time:Mini-lesson Topics • **Mini-lesson topics should be driven by student needs as shown in conferences and reading behavior. • Other Topics may include: • Procedural lessons • Literary concepts lessons • Strategies/skills lessons

7. Workshop Time: State of the Class • Students set daily goals to accomplish during workshop time • Students identify their daily goal by responding in code – quick response • Some classes use charts, cup and stick or clothes pin method

8. Workshop Time: Independent Reading(Student Rules for Reading Workshop) • You must read your book or story. • You cannot do other homework. • Do not talk to or disturb others during silent reading. • You must have a book with you when reading begins. • You may sit wherever you like. • Keep records.

9. Workshop Time: Responding to Reading(After independent reading/student rules) • Fill in reading log • Prepare for conference • Conference with the teacher or friend • Choose a new book • Students work on reading projects • Writing projects, book publishing • Other ideas – student decides

10. Workshop Time: Conferencing with the Teacher:student’s role • Have your book read • Be sure your reading log is up to date • Think of things you want to share • Oral reading • Favorite part, confusing part • Connection to your life • Response project • Next step or goal

11. Conferences, cont.teacher’s role • Listen to the student read a selection • Check book, reading log, project • Interact according to student needs • Check on progress toward previous goals • Discuss one or two ideas/connections • Extend the mini-lesson • Work on a specific skill • Assess progress • Set a new goal • Record progress in notebook

12. Sample Conferencing Questionsteacher’s role • How is your reading going? • Why did you choose this book? • Tell me about what you’re reading. • Are there sections of the book where you think the author has done a good job? • How does the book begin? • What are some things you have learned about reading? • Is there a part you would like to read to me? • What would you like to learn to become a better reader?

13. Conference Etiquetteteacher’s role • Really listen to the student • Look at the student • Hear their responses • Repeat the student comments • Don’t let your records get in the way of a great conference.

14. Workshop Time: Record Keeping • Reading log • Reading journal • Check the reading program for backline masters or teachers make their own • Use a folder • Make note of re-reading (Emergent readers should read books 3-5 times)

15. Workshop time: Reading Project • Reading projects are student responses to literature • Reading projects are to be completed during workshop time • Students select a book to creatively share with the class and present as assigned by teacher. • Students discuss reading project plans with the teacher during conference time • Projects are shared with the class during sharing time • Reading projects may include: PowerPoint presentation, slide show, dramatization, diorama, book box, shadow puppet show, game, demonstration, poster presentation, etc.

16. Student Sharing Time time to “show off”! • Teacher must model to student how to share the Literary talk – or time to talk about what is being read. • Buddy or small group can share • Keep sharing time short – 2-3 minutes • What to share (favorite parts, pictures, opinions or read a page or two) • On occasion – student shares/makes a plug for his/her book to the whole class

17. Your Turn: What do you remember?

18. Your Turn: What did you observe?

19. Your Turn: What did you learn?

20. Questionsand Comments

21. RESOURCES • www.readersworkshop.org • Revisiting the Reading Workshop by Barbara Orehovec and Marybeth Alley • From Scholastic ISBN 0-439-44404-7 • Inside Reading and Writing Workshops by Joanne Hindley • From Stenhouse Publishers www.stenhouse.com ISBN 1-57110-4852 • www.puconline.org