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at Conestoga Elementary Penn Manor School District, Millersville PA Beth Corl, Reading Specialist |
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at Conestoga Elementary Penn Manor School District, Millersville PA Beth Corl, Reading Specialist |
Our reading support program at Conestoga consists of two parts. The first part of my day is spent teaching Reading Recovery. This program is for first graders who need daily individualized instruction in reading. Four children are chosen based on the first grade testing which is completed early in August. These children are seen every day for one half hour of one-on-one instruction. During this time, we read many books, write a story and learn about how words work. Reading Recovery is a 20 week program and after leaving the program almost all children are able to progress with the average children in their class. At the end of the 20 weeks,a new round of testing is done on the remaining first graders and four more students are selected to take part in the program!
For more info. see: http://readingrecovery.org
The second half of my day is spent in the classroom. The first semester is spent in the second grade classrooms working with guided reading groups. The classroom is divided by the teacher and myself into 4 or 5 groups based on student's needs. These groups are not static, however. Children are moved between groups as needs change. During the hour, the teacher and I each see two groups. The groups are given a new book which they will be able to read. Together we discuss what the book will be about, talk about any tricky words and then practice reading the story individually. While students are reading individually, I am able to walk around the table and listen to each student. This also allows me to make teaching points and show the student how to problem solve.After everyone has read the story, we will get back together and discuss the story, any tricky parts and maybe practice again, this time with a partner. The students are then given the books to take home and read to mom or dad. Each group is seen at least twice a week!
During the second semester, I leave second grade and turn my attention to first grade. By this time of the year, first graders are ready to jump into guided reading! The set-up is the same as in second grade and the children love this time spent with books! And they are even more excited to take them home to read!
The most important and exciting aspect of guided reading is that each child is reading books on his or her own level!
Fountas and Pinnell, 1996
Distar is another program that we have been using at Conestoga for the past year. It is very successful with those first and second graders who were not successful with Reading Recovery. This year, Distar will become a part of our guided reading program. I will take the guided reading group with the most needs each day and use the Distar program with them. They will be reading a new story each day and learning how words work. This group will also be flexible...students will be move in and out as needs arise.
I am excited about the start of a new year at Conestoga! Please check this web page often for updates and special programs going on throughout the year. If you have any questions about our program, please contact me!
