Focus Project: Readers Workshop Natalie Bruveris TE 842 Summer
2011
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My Background I obtained my Bachelors Degree from Michigan
State University and completed a full-year internship at Hanstein
Elementary in Detroit Public Schools. During my internship year, I
began working on graduate classes towards my Masters Degree of
Teaching and Curriculum at Michigan State University. After my
student teaching, I was a substitute teacher in Grosse Pointe
Public Schools for three years. I completed three long term
positions in third, fourth, and fifth grade classrooms. Eventually,
I was hired by Grosse Pointe Public Schools and recently I finished
my first year teaching All Day Kindergarten at Monteith
Elementary.
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Previously Implemented Instructional Approaches DEAR time (Drop
Everything and Read) Whole Group Instruction Literacy Centers Work
Stations Guided Reading Reading Groups
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Motivators for Altering my Reading Instruction o Although I
still value these approaches as effective reading techniques, I
still felt that there was an essential component missing in my
current reading instruction methods.
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With the limited attention span of my Kindergarteners, when can
I individualize instruction or work with small groups without
interruptions? How do I allow more opportunities for
student-selected reading at their independent reading level? How do
I structure my reading instruction to allow more student talk? How
do I engage my students with reading in a way that keeps them
intrinsically motivated?
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o Our district announced that implementation of Readers
Workshop will occur in the Fall of 2012. o We will begin attending
professional development opportunities and training sessions in the
Fall of 2011. o These culminating factors influenced me to research
Readers Workshop as my focus project for TE 842.
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What is Readers Workshop? A learner-center approach to teaching
reading in which the reader is involved in the process of discovery
The workshop format emphasizes the importance of student
engagement, facilities the interaction and connection between
readers and texts, and allows for authentic learning to occur.
Readers Workshop is an organized and managed system of implementing
authentic learning opportunities. Allows time for read-alouds,
mini-lessons, real reading, student choice, social interactions,
and readers response opportunities This instructional approach
allows for endless opportunities to differentiate instruction.
PURPOSE: Readers Workshop fosters independence among all readers
while effectively utilizing reading strategies.
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Readers have time to read just-right books independently every
day. Readers select their own appropriate books. Readers take care
of books. Readers respect each others reading time and reading
lives. Readers have daily opportunities to talk about their books
in genuine ways. Readers dont just read the words but also
understand the story. Readers work in the independent reading
workshop is replicable outside the classroom. Cited directly from:
Collins, K. (2004). Growing Readers: Units of Study in the Primary
Classroom. Portland, Maine: Stenhouse Publishers.
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Basic Components of Readers Workshop Teacher Read-Aloud
Mini-Lesson Status of the Class (optional) Reading Block Sharing
Time
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Teacher Read-Aloud Purpose: Helps promote a community of
readers and allows modeling opportunities Approximately 10-15
minutes Teacher or student can select the text Teacher models
reading strategies Teacher scaffolds fluency (accuracy, prosody,
and automaticity) Think-Alouds Numerous Turn and Talk opportunities
throughout the reading
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Mini-Lessons are brief teaching opportunities (approximately 10
minutes or less) Types of Mini-Lessons: procedural (how-to),
literary, and strategy and skill Organization of Mini-Lessons:
a)Connection (mini-lesson makes a connection with ongoing units,
students, experiences, etc.) b)Teaching Point (model or verbally
present lesson focus) c)Active Engagement (Children have an active
role in understanding teaching point) d)Link to ongoing work
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Status of the Class (optional) Approximately 2-3 minutes
Provides opportunities to clarify student questions about Readers
Workshop Allows the teacher to quickly survey and review students
plan of action for the present day workshop
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Reading and Responses READING: Is the focus of Readers Workshop
Establishes the reading block as valued and quiet reading time
Should include independent reading time which can transform into
partner reading Can be structured into reading centers for lower
elementary RESPONSE: You may want your students to keep a readers
response journal to reflect on the storys setting, characters,
synthesize questions, and make connections with the text.
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Conferencing Teachers are conferring with individuals,
partners, or small groups during independent reading and response
time. Conferences allow time for the teacher to clarify the text
for students, encourage connections with the text, assess student
comprehension, and individualize instruction. Teachers perform
on-going assessments during the reading block.
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Sharing Approximately 5 minutes Classmates get the opportunity
to hear what others are reading. Students verbalize connections
with the text, make recommendations and talk about parts of a story
that they enjoyed, disliked, found interesting, or confusing.
PURPOSE: helps beginning readers feel a sense of belonging in a
community of readers Note: The teacher may have to elicit responses
in the beginning or with lower elementary students.
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TEACHER ROLE: Facilitating independent learning, conferring,
observing, teaching, and assessing. STUDENT ROLE: Actively engaged
in reading, responding to text (verbal and written responses),
talking about text, and sharing thoughts and ideas with peers.
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Materials Needed Leveled and diverse classroom library, easily
accessible to students Storage bins or baskets for leveled texts
Tote bags, tubs, gallon-size baggies, or magazine files for each
students just-right books
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Classroom Context Should be an inviting, warm, and welcoming
environment Classroom context should be safe, consistent, and
non-threatening Print-rich classroom, easy-access to materials,
group meeting area, and a talk-rich classroom Ideas: carpet
squares, bean bags, stuffed animals, couches, rocking chairs, and
ambient lighting
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Patiently model, demonstrate, and clearly state your high
expectations Model how-to read, care, select, and organize the
books Teach the three ways to read a book: read and talk about the
pictures, read the words, & retell Model correct procedures and
incorrect procedures (role play)
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Children can read their just-right books with fluency,
comprehension, and at least 90-95 percent accuracy (Calkins 2001).
Readers Workshop provides a flexible format for the teacher Reading
becomes valued, meaningful, achievable, and fun for students of all
ability levels Students have time for real reading that caters to
their interest and ability, and the opportunity to respond to the
text Teaches students how to be lifelong readers
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Readers Workshop is one example of a structure used in
classroom literacy instruction that builds on connections made
between students backgrounds and experiences and fosters community
relationships amongst learners and teacher (Taylor 2000). Makes
time for quality interaction with all students; addresses the needs
of all students, regardless of level or ability; and gives students
the chance to voice literary opinions and share their enjoyment
within a family of literacy learners (Bryan 1999). It is worth
noting that in balanced literacy classrooms teachers make time in
the day for other components of literacy instruction as well. These
components include shared reading, interactive read-aloud with
accountable talk, story time, phonics, and word study, small-group
work (guided reading or strategy lessons), interactive writing, and
writing workshop (Collins 2004, p. 15).
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How does Readers Workshop meet the needs of all learners? When
children read independently during independent reading workshop,
they read just-right books, which are books that match their
independent reading levels (Collins 2004). Texts are
student-selected, which caters to their specific interests. Student
talk and reading responses are authentic Readers Workshop allows
for opportunities for individualized instruction with the
teacher
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Pam Liagre suggested (K-2 Language Arts Curriculum Specialist
and 2 nd grade teacher at Monteith Elementary School) Teacher wears
a special necklace or scarf to indicate to students when the
teacher is off limits, unless there was an actual emergency! Allow
students to go shopping once a week to select their just-right
books for Readers Workshop (perhaps on Fridays to prepare for the
following week).
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Pam Liagre (K-2 Language Arts Curriculum Specialist and 2 nd
grade teacher at Monteith Elementary School) and Christina Gill (1
st grade teacher at Ferry Elementary School) reported that the most
difficult obstacles when initially implementing Readers Workshop
are the organizational factors. Obtaining the necessary materials
(Texts for leveled library, book bins, shopping bags for
student-selected books) Questions to consider: How do you want to
organize your leveled library? What will students use to tote their
just- right books? When will your students shop for their books?
What will your reading corners look like?
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Does anyone have any suggestions before we embark on our
journey to implement Readers Workshop? Comments? Questions? THANK
YOU!
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References Allington, R. L. (2002) What Ive Learned About
Effective Reading Instruction. Phi Delta Kappan, 83, 740- 747.
Boushey, G. and Moser, J. (2006) The Daily 5: Fostering Literacy
Independence in the Elementary Grades. Portland, Maine: Stenhouse
Publishers. Bryan, J.W. (1999) Readers Workshop in a Kindergarten
Classroom. The Reading Teacher, 52(5), 538-540. Collins, K. (2004).
Growing Readers: Units of Study in the Primary Classroom. Portland,
Maine: Stenhouse Publishers. Harvey, S. and Daniels, H. (2009)
Inquiry Circles in Action: Comprehension and Collaboration.
Portsmouth, New Hampshire: Heinemann. Taylor, S.V. and Nesheim,
D.W. (2000) Making Literacy Real for High-Risk Adolescent Emerging
Readers: An Innovative Application of Readers Workshop. Journal of
Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 44(4), 308-318. Williams, M.
(2001) Making Connections: A Workshop for adolescents who struggle
with reading. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 44(7),
588-602.
