The Reading Workshop: Creating Space for

ReadersPresenter: Frank Serafiniwww.frankserafini.com

Rutgers Literacy ConferenceOctober 10, 2012

Power Point prepared by Maria Koster

Deemphasizes reading as a personal act and emphasizes textual analysis.(move away from reading response: responses need to be more academic and text-based)

Common Core emphasizes reading for meaning – we need to teach high-level comprehension skills through read aloud and accountable talk; give students opportunities to have rich literary conversations about fiction and nonfiction.

Teachers should use professional judgment to do what’s right for children.

Common Core

Organize classroom for interaction. Students should face each other. (example: radio living room vs. TV living room)

Reading and Meeting area Comfortable places to read Access to materials: “Kids who browse less are kids who

read less.” Display: book covers, not spines Interactive wall charts Set up Literacy displays (like Book Store) – new books and

materials, author study, etc.; show book covers, not spines Classroom library – include magazines and newspapers “We don’t have kids who don’t like to read… just kids

who haven’t found the right book yet.” (F. Serafini)

Reading Workshop: Classroom Layout

Goal: Readers will become more self-sufficient and more proficient.

Includes an array of effective learning experiences Lots of discussion Real text Get beyond literal recall (simply memory) Stop expecting novice readers to do things

life-long readers would never tolerate. (web, response journals, predictions – all overdone)

Goal of Reading Workshop

COMPONENTS OF READING WORKSHOP Read-alouds Shared reading Guided reading Independent reading

Interactive discussions Lessons in comprehension (We must

teach strategies AND skills.)

Reading Workshop

Reading Block: 60-80 minutes every day

Teaching Time: 20% Read aloud; discussion 20% Explicit Instruction (Shared Reading; whole group

lessons) 60% Engaged Reading (guided reading; independent

reading)

Includes: Shared literacy experience (shared reading or read aloud) Reading lesson (whole class or small group) Literacy conferences Workshop time (guided reading; independent reading) Reflection opportunities (discussion; response)

Daily Reading Block

Reading should result in: enjoyment, entertainment, questions, willing to read another book

ASK YOURSELF: What do you do when you finish a book?

Make a diorama – NOMake a character mobile – NO

YES: talk about the book, read another connected text, suggest the book to others (DISCUSSION)

Provide opportunities to discuss/recommend books to peers

What do you do when you finish a book?

During reading workshop, students should be working on developing literacy skills.

Limit written response. 90% reading, 10% responding

It is more important to TALK about reading than write about reading.

Teachers must promote inferential thinking. Before assigning any reading activity, ask yourself: Does this activity promote critical thinking?

Literacy Activities

Ask yourself: Is the amount of time to respond greater

than the time to read? (It shouldn’t be!) Does the activity become an end in itself? Do students have any choice in the activity? Does this activity promote thinking OR

naming and recall?

Evaluating Response Activities

Role of Teacher: Listen first, talk later. ( and take notes ) Utilize charts to move discussion forward. Learn more about the books being discussed

to lead students to deeper thinking. Become a reader first, a teacher second.

(conferences – change from teacher to student to reader to reader)

Discussion: promoting inferential thinking

Improving predictions:ASK: What do you notice? What do you think about it?

(covers, illustrations)

Robust connections vs. superficial connections (encourage text to text connections… This reminds me of…)

Focus on character change along with character traits.

Ways to Promote Critical Thinking

NOTICINGS CHARTWhat do you notice? What might it mean? So what?(literal) (interpretation) (deeper thinking)________________________________________________________Clouds, rain It was a gloomy day. Indoor recess

It was a stormy day. Field trip canceled

Can’t play outside

CLASSROOM CHARTS

NOTICINGS CHARTWendy and the Bullies

What do you notice? What might it mean? So what?(literal) (interpretation) (deeper thinking)________________________________________________________Two girls are looking The map shows where The girls try toat a bully map with children have been figure out where flashlight. bullied in their it is safe for them.

neighborhood.

Charts

1. One way a character changed

1. Something that challenged (bothered) you as a reader

3. Something you expected 4. Something that was missing from the story

4 Post Its Chart

Speech bubbles – good for the artistic student; cartoon/comic strip

Character timeline as opposed to a character sketch (focuses on character change)

Graffiti board – large sheet of paper (bulletin board), students visually represent (draw, write) what they know about a topic (use as an anticipatory set or as a formative assessment)

Inferential Responses

“Remember to…

Slow down. Teach well. Live to teach another day.”

(Frank Serafini)

In conclusion…