Why I Love Guided Reading Passages
Guided Reading can take a long time to plan for, especially when you have multiple groups with students working at various levels. While the time spent in groups is incredibly meaningful, it can be stressful to try and figure it all out. This is why I love my Guided Reading passages. The initial planning is done for you. Instead, you are able to focus on each reader in your group. You don’t have to constantly be worrying about what you’ll do in the next Guided Reading group.
My passages include engaging topics that students love. Sometimes kids get in a rut with reading book after book, after book. Switching it up and including a passage in the mix, gets them excited about Guided Reading groups.
Visually Appealing
The passages are also short- fitting on one or two pages. This can be less intimating to struggling readers. Books can be overwhelming when a student notices how many pages there are to read. Students see everything that is required of them to read with a quick glance at my passages.
The illustrations are appealing to the readers. They are interested to learn what the story is about, similar to when looking at the cover of a book. Students may make connections to characters in the story or the topic, simply by peeking at the illustrations of each passage.
Variety of Passages
I have both fiction and non fiction passages for Levels Pre A-Z. By alternating between fiction and non fiction, you’re tapping into all kinds of interests for readers. It’s important for readers to be exposed to both types of texts. It helps them grow as readers when practicing reading fiction and non fiction. The exposure to content-specific vocabulary words leads to applying strategies to new words. Reading both kinds of texts not only makes them better readers, but also increases their vocabulary and knowledge, in general.
What All is Included?
- Leveled passages with comprehension questions
- A lesson plan for each passage
- Running Record for each passage
By including a lesson plan with each leveled passage, you will feel prepared for each group. You’ll have a starting point that you can branch off of, based on each group of readers. The lesson plan includes an introduction to the text portion. This allows you to recognize which types of words will be seen in a text. By going over these words with your students, they’ll feel more prepared for their reading.
While the students are actually reading, you are guiding your readers. Prompts appropriate for each reading level are provided on the lesson plan. This helps you address needs of each specific group.
Comprehension Questions
After students are done reading, they will participate in a discussion. Questions are provided to get the group talking about the text. Students also have written response questions to reply to.
Running Records
The running record for each passage also allows you to assess each of your students, in a quick manner. This ensures that the students are working at an appropriate instructional level. Since the passages are short, you don’t have to spend hours doing these assessments, like you may during benchmark testing. These are meant to be quick to provide insight to each reader.
Guided Reading Passages Packs
You can check out my fiction and non fiction passages for Levels Pre A-Z. I also have big bundles that will save you a significant amount. These can be printed right away to get your Guided Reading groups organized and ready to go ASAP!
