Our Reading Workshop time each morning is divided into two main parts: A whole group mini-lesson session and Daily Five with reading groups. During the initial whole group time we focus on a particular reading skill and then practice it individually or with partners. Many of the lessons and skills I focus on come from Lucy Calkin's Units of Study for Reading. These lessons gradually build independent reading skills and meld well with skills children learn and practice in Writing Workshop. This past week I was beyond ecstatic to Tweet about a child who asked if he could get his tools for reading and use them during his writing time... this is exactly what I want children to connect... that reading and writing workshop blend skills across both domains... and what they learn to read they can also write.
During the second part of Reading Workshop, we use a structure for independent work known as Daily Five. This structure was developed by two teaching sisters who used a broad array of reading research to narrow down skills students need to practice frequently to improve not only reading skills but their stamina for working independently. It is called Daily Five because there are five main reading domains they choose to practice. In our room students choose one a day so that by the end of week all children have practiced all five independently. We do two 25-30 minute "rounds" a day during Daily Five. Half the class chooses a Daily Five practice to do independently while the other half are in small reading groups of about five children. We then switch the groups. Both Mrs. Campbell and I run simultaneous reading groups so that all children meet in a reading group daily. Mrs. Campbell is also a certified teacher and worked as a reading and math tutor prior to becoming our classroom teaching assistant. She brings a wealth of knowledge to reading groups and understands how to grow readers. The five choices a Daily Five are: Read to Self, Read to a Partner, Listen to Reading, Word Work and Work on Writing. Throughout the fall we gradually built children's stamina and understanding of what to do in each Daily Five practice so that by now they can work with a strong sense of independence.
Reading groups with a teacher and children working independently on a reading skill.
During reading groups children children practice reading in a small group, alone and with partners. They use skills they learn in the whole group portion of Reading Workshop during reading groups. For example, early in the year several mini lessons were devoted to the use of a reading finger that isolates words a reader is reading. Children apply that skill in a reading group, pointing to each word as they read.
An array of Word Work independent practice... every activity has a recording sheet which makes children responsible for showing the work they accomplished.
Listening To Reading: Children listen to leveled reading books on Raz Kids and trade books on Bookflix.
More letter-sound practice during Word Work
Word writing during Word Work... writing words that begin or end with the same sound...two words that rhyme.
Handwriting practice journals during Word Work. This is an early practice journal which will be followed by another type to keep strengthening handwriting to help kids as they write during Writing Workshop.
Writing words that begin with a particular letter sound.
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