What is Readers’ Workshop?

Readers’ Workshop is a format that provides the structure to support children learning to read.  The workshop is designed for use with grades K-5 and is designed for 60 minutes a day.  Activities are designed to teach youngsters what good readers do.  Predictable rituals and routines structure the workshop to provide consistent expectations.

What does the class period look like during Readers’ Workshop?

The Readers’ Workshop contains three parts: an Opening, a Work Session, and a Closing.

Ø  During the Opening, the teacher teaches a 10-15 minute mini-lesson that brings the entire class together as a whole group for a single reading focus.

Ø  During the 35-40 minute Work Session the students read (independently in their “just right” books, with partners, or participating in literature circles or books clubs).  The teacher confers with individual students, conducts guided reading or strategy groups, or assesses students.

Ø  The 5-10 minute Closing brings the students back together to share what they learned as a reader, often reinforcing the mini-lesson. Sometimes the Closing is used to clear up misconceptions that the teacher has observed during the Work Session.

What drives the Readers’ Workshop?

Each grade level has a set of internationally benchmarked standards that provide a framework for instruction.  However the mini-lessons are chosen through on-going assessment that often includes running records, anecdotal notes, interest inventories, written assessment, and direct observation.  Lessons are chosen to move the class toward the standard. 

What is a mini-lesson?

A mini-lesson focuses on a single concept such as a procedure (ritual or routine), a reading strategy (such as inferring, questioning, synthesizing) or a skill (such as a lesson on how to read an unknown word).  A mini-lesson has four parts: the connection (connecting to what good readers do, the standard, and what the class has been doing in previous lessons), the teach (the single focus of the lesson), the active involvement (the students practicing the focus), and the link (linking to what the student will be doing during the Work Session and what they will do as readers “today and always”).

What is independent reading?

Independent reading is when students independently read material that is just right for them – books that the child can read with 95% accuracy.  In order to meet the standard, books must be a variety of types (newspapers, magazines, Internet articles, books) and genres (fiction, non-fictions, biography).  The only way to become a better reader is to read.  REFER TO READING MONOGRAPH: INDEPENDENT READING

What is partner reading?

Partner reading is pairing students at similar reading levels to read and discuss books.  Each reader takes a turn reading, listening, and helping.  Both partners become more excited about reading and learn from the others strengths.  REFER TO READING MONOGRAPH: PARTNER READING

What happens in a reading conference?

Conferring is one of the most powerful ways to communicate with students about their goals, skills, and choices in reading.  Through one-on-one conferring the teacher offers precise, individualized coaching, and direct instruction.  The teacher offers a piece of advice, demonstrates a strategy, or asks that one question that can start to make all the difference in a student’s reading.  REFER TO READING MONOGRAPH READING CONFERENCES

What are guided reading and strategy groups?

The goal of guided reading and strategy groups is to help children learn to use independent reading strategies successfully.  Both types of instruction are for small groups (4-6 students) facilitated by the teacher.  In guided reading groups students are selected who are reading at the same level and the teacher selects material at their instructional level (text that can be read at 90-94% accuracy).  Strategy groups are brought together to practice a single strategy and may include students reading at different levels.  In both cases the goal is to enable students to acquire, use, and develop reading strategies that translate to high levels of fluency and comprehension.

What are book talks?

Book talks, like literature circles, are book discussion groups with a group of peers to learn different perspectives, interpretations, and strategies.  Responding to books by discussing elements with peers builds comprehension in a social framework.  REFER TO READING MONOGRAPH: TALKING ABOUT BOOKS

What is shared reading?

Shared reading is used most commonly in the primary grades where students are still focusing on learning to read rather than solely on reading to learn. It is sometimes used during the mini-lesson.  The text in a shared reading is read with the class instead of to the class. Shared reading is used to teach skills and strategies and to practice fluency. REFER TO READING MONOGRAPH: SHARED READING

What is a read aloud?

In a read-aloud the teacher reads aloud a book, poem, or article to the whole group. Sometimes this is part of the mini-lesson but it can also be in addition to the Readers’ Workshop block and may be related to the content areas of Science and Social Studies.  During the reading the teacher models proficient reading, fluency and the joy of reading.  The goal is to read aloud at least three times a day. REFER TO READING MONOGRAPH: READING ALOUD