Guided reading is a very common form of teaching in schools. It refers to the form of collective learning, where a person reads out loud for others to hear. This form of reading helps the reader and listener to grasp information easily. It also helps teachers to correct mistakes as the reader reads out loud. This blog discusses three main reasons why guided learning is good for your kid.
Improves Comprehension, Reading Fluency and Word Recognition
Guided reading is beneficial for proficient and struggling readers. However, silent reading may benefit certain groups, but it is not recommended for early struggling readers.
If you are looking to improve reading skills of your child, guided reading is the best thing to do. This will help you to understand, where the kid is making errors and how to correct them. Through guided reading exercises, kids will get the necessary instructions on how to improve their reading skills, work on their vocabulary, build their fluency, understand a word and improve their understanding about the topic.
Helps to Develop Confidence
Guided reading in the classroom is the best way to develop confidence in growing kids. Most kids are reluctant to discuss their issues with teachers and classmates for the fear of ridicule and criticisms. However, guided reading gives them opportunities to build confidence and correct their vocabulary as well.
Improves Analytical Skills
Guided reading offers an opportunity for students to analyse their dialogues and discuss it with their peers and the teacher. It allows them to communicate their own ideas, seek ideas and knowledge from their peers in the group. In guided reading, kids can develop their skills for justification, deduction, analysis and inference. They learn how to build their confidence around a topic and ways to affirm their conviction in a point.
Simplifies Lessons
Guided reading helps students to comprehend complex lessons easily. This inspires the student to take their studies seriously.
Tips to Implement Guided Reading
The size of the classroom and reading proficiency of a student is two factors to be considered if you are considering guided reading in your classroom. Here’s a framework to get started with the guided reading.
Divide students into groups on the basis of reading proficiency
The group division should be made on the basis of reading proficiency. Each group should include four to six students depending on the class size.
Select the appropriate text for reading and do careful monitoring
Select the right text for reading and do careful monitoring of each word to provide quick feedback. Take care to sit near to the student or make a copy of the material for a quick reference.
Teach the student to comprehend the words for better understanding
The main purpose of guided reading is improving the reading proficiency and understanding of the topic. Take care that students understand each word they learn and don’t rush through the process with “fast and erroneous reading”. This will help students to become better readers and responsible individuals.
Test their understanding
Result, result and result – is the main aim of an experiment or exam. You don’t need to be harsh with students, but you can always conduct small texts in between guided reading session to test their comprehension and knowledge. This will help students to take responsibility for their actions and concentrate on their studies.
A guided reading with educational illustrations is like an icing on the cake and it helps students to enjoy their lessons as they read.