Mrs. Lauer's First Grade: Reader's Workshop

Welcome to Reader's Workshop

Reader's Workshop is an instructional model for reading that marries explicit instruction in reading strategies with opportunities for students to practice each reading strategy independently, with a peer, and in small groups.

Reader's workshop emphasizes the importance of student engagement and the interaction between readers and text. It provides differentiated instruction in reading. Reader's Workshop focuses on the teaching of reading strategies. The purpose of Reader's Workshop is to foster independence among readers.

There are seven important strategies that all readers must be able to apply to text in order to read and understand content. The seven strategies are:

1. Making Connections
2. Creating Mental Images
3. Making Inferences/Drawing Conclusions
4. Asking Questions
5. Determining What Is Important
6. Synthesizing
7. Monitoring Comprehension and Meaning

Getting Started
The Reader's Workshop model used in my classroom was developed after reading Debbie Miller's Reading with Meaning and Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis' book Strategies that Work. In addition Debbie Debbie Diller has been instrumental in the development of Literacy Centers that support the Reader's Workshop model. My favorite website for Reader's Workshop is by Jennifer Myers who has provided video links for the Reader's Workshop in her second grade classroom. They are simply wonderful and definitely worth your time!

In the beginning Reader's Workshop should stress routines and rituals. It is very important that students understand what is expected of them and that they will be required to use reading strategies and be able to explain their thinking. During the first 5~6 weeks of school, the teacher spend a great deal of time modeling routines and rituals. Growing Readers is an excellent book for establishing routines and rituals during Reader's Workshop.

Workshop Schedule

10-15 minutes : Teacher Read Aloud & Mini Lesson
20 minutes : Guided Reading & Independent Reading
10 minutes : Closing Meeting

Teacher Read Aloud: The teacher selects a book, poem, or text and reads it aloud to the class in a whole group setting. During this time the teacher models for students best practices in reading. This is a time where students are actively listening and taking notes of the strategies the teacher uses while he/she reads.

Guided Reading: The teacher works with a small group of students who need the same instruction. Each student has their own text and the teacher works with the group to target a specific reading strategy or skill.

Independent Reading: During Guided reading the remaining students in the class are reading text on their own. This is a time for students to apply the strategies learned in whole group and small group lessons. Students select text based on their reading level and use sticky notes to tag their reflections. At the end of independent reading, the teacher will meet with 3~4 students to discuss their reflections. Conferring with students is a powerful tool for finding out what students are thinking as well as the strategies they are employing.

When conferring with student it is important to keep a record of student responses. After meeting with the student, it is very important to student growth that you provide encouragement and give praise. Look for something they did really well and celebrate it. Then give them a "teaching point". This is something you would like them to work on and apply to their reading.

I use a conferring template. This way I have a permanent record of student conferences. Simply insert student names into each square in the template.

A file folder and sticky note system

Closing Meeting: The closing meeting is a time when the class comes back together and students share the strategies they used during independent reading or reflections/understandings gained about new strategies.

Workshop Mini Lessons