It is no secret that distance learning is tough. Many teachers are back to virtual learning after having a few, short weeks in the classroom with our students. Others transitioned to live teaching for the first time ever in December, but maybe it didn’t last long. No matter your teaching situation, consistency is key.
This is why I have really embraced digital materials this year! They provide consistency, since digital materials can be used in any teaching situation. This helps your students feel comfortable, and any level of comfort we can give our kids right now is what we need to strive for!
Digital Guided Reading
One of the digital materials that has been an absolute lifesaver for teachers everywhere this year is my digital guided reading packs. They come complete with the lesson plans as well as student activities centered around vocabulary and comprehension.
In the midst of everything else you have to worry about, small group lessons can feel overwhelming. Some teachers have abandoned small group teaching altogether in the midst of digital teaching. I have made it my mission to help teachers find it easier to teach all parts of their literacy block! Our students need quality instruction at their level no matter what their learning environment is, after all!
How to use
Begin by selecting the level your students will be reading from, and sharing that presentation with them through Google. Because the menu of passages in one pack is all the same reading level, you could let students choose their own text, or pre-select a text for them!Use the lesson plans to complete the pre-reading tasks via video call. If live video calls are not something you will have access to, pre-record talking through the questions and tasks you want students to consider. This way, students can watch you teaching, but answer questions with a parent or on their own.
Allow students to read the passage, and take notes about their reading along the way. Or, ask a parent to record their reading and send you a voice file! Take notes with feedback and support you’d like to provide the parent. Refer back to these notes when talking to the student in a future live-teaching session.
After reading, students complete the brief vocabulary task built into the same presentation! Because this is shared with you, you can see their answers.
Finally, assign the comprehension questions for the passage the students read. As with all good guided reading instruction, use the notes from the way the student read, along with their answers to the comprehension questions to inform your instruction for next time!
Is there one particular skill within this reading level that they need to master before moving onto something more complex (phonics, fluency, etc.)? Was this far too easy, and you need to assign something more difficult next time? Considering these thing as you listen to your students read will help you adjust your teaching, and create growth!
Where to Find Digital Guided Reading
You can find digital passages for Winter, as well as dozens of sets for other times of year, by visiting my TPT store!
