You may modify any Guided Reading teaching plan to focus on any appropriate comprehension strategy. For example, you may wish to change the comprehension focus for a first reading if you think students need practise with a particular strategy.
Changing the comprehension focus is an easy task. You need to modify the original lesson in three areas:
- Before Reading: Set a new purpose for reading that focuses on the comprehension strategy you have selected.
- During Reading: Add a prompt that focuses on the new comprehension strategy when you hear selected students read aloud for diagnostic purposes. You may also wish to assess the selected strategy when you monitor.
- After Reading: When you revisit the purpose for reading, focus on the modified comprehension purpose you established in the Before Reading phase.
Example of a Guided Reading Lesson (First Reading) with a New Comprehension Focus
An example of a modified teaching plan with a new comprehension focus is provided. Read the original lesson and then look over the changes indicated in italics.
Text: Lost Cat (Level D)
Original Comprehension Focus: Evaluating
New Comprehension Focus: Making connections
| BEFORE READING Making connections Making connections |
Activating and Building Background Knowledge
I left the gate open and my dog got out. Have you lost a pet? How did you feel? • Ask students if they have a family pet and if they have ever lost this pet.• Ask students what you can do if a pet is missing. The family who lost their cat made a flyer. They made copies to let people know their cat was lost. Who do you think they gave copies of the flyer to? Why do you think that? Discussing Supports and Challenges• Show a copy of the Lost Cat flyer and explain what the family did to try to find their pet cat Fluffy. |
Predicting/inferring Analyzing Visual literacy/ synthesizing Making connections/ inferring Word solving and building Making connections |
• Hand out a copy of the flyer to each student. • Read the flyer heading out loud and use prompts to discuss the flyer’s content, purpose, and features: – What do you think they’d put on a flyer about their missing pet? Why? – How will people let the family know if they find Fluffy? – How does the flyer persuade you to look for the cat? (e.g., big headline, question above the photograph, starred request for help, big print, photo of cat) – They’d hand out copies to neighbours. Where else could they put the flyer to catch people’s attention? We know the cat is called Fluffy. Say the cat’s name slowly. What sounds do you hear at the beginning of the word? Can you find the word ‘Fluffy’? • Help students to recognize a key word.Setting a Purpose for Reading What do you know about cats that might help you to find Fluffy? • Offer a prompt that focuses the students on Making connections. |
| DURING READING Making connections Evaluating Analyzing/making connections Inferring Inferring Inferring/synthesizing Self-monitoring Predicting |
• Ask each student to read the text independently, keeping in mind the purpose for reading. • Observe and listen to students as they read quietly, assisting them with navigating the flyer’s features, word solving, vocabulary, and punctuation. Respond to comprehension queries and offer occasional comprehension prompts to help them to problem-solve. Possible prompts: – Where would you take this flyer if Fluffy was your cat? – How will putting the photo on the flyer help the family to find Fluffy? – Which part is her belly? – Does she really have three white socks on her feet? What does that mean? – What colour do you think her fourth foot will be? – How do you think Fluffy’s family feels? – Did that make sense? Reread that part and think what would make sense and sound right. • If some students finish early, ask them to reread independently or with a partner. Ask them to discuss whether they think the cat was found. • Note successful reading strategies and any remaining reading challenges. You may wish to assess the new comprehension strategy. |
| AFTER READING Making connections Inferring Predicting Evaluating/self-monitoring Evaluating Self-monitoring |
Do cats like to play? What do they like to play with? How could knowing that help you find Fluffy? Revisit the purpose for reading: What do you know about cats that might help you to find Fluffy?• Extend comprehension by offering prompts to initiate discussion: – How do you think the family felt when they were making this flyer? Why do you think that? – Do you think they found Fluffy? – If you were doing a flyer about a missing pet, what would you do the same/differently? – Could they have done anything else to find Fluffy? Chandra read the flyer and then went back to look at it. She noticed she’d forgotten to read the words in the star shape, so she pointed to them. It’s a good idea to check you’ve read everything on a flyer. • Comment on an effective reading strategy you observed. |
Teaching Tip: Many texts can be modified to fit a selection of comprehension strategies. However, choose your comprehension strategy carefully as some texts lend themselves to particular strategies, for example, a “How to…” text usually asks a reader to sequence information and a text that requires a reader to visualize may lend itself to a focus on inferring.
Use the Guided Reading Teaching Plan Outline to jot down changes you will make in modifying a lesson. It can also be used to jot down ideas for a Guided Reading lesson, using materials you already have in your classroom.