The Next Step in Guided Reading, by Jan Richardson.

Over the summer I have been reading a book by Jan Richardson.  It's called The Next Step in Guided Reading.  I found it had many interesting ideas and techniques for teaching reading via Guided reading.  For myself I have a Reading curriculum I must follow, but I sure try every year to get my guided reading going.  This year I have another challenge added in that I will be teaching a K/1 combo class. 

While reading The Next Step in Guided Reading I found Jan Richardson's ideas and methods really helpful. She has mentioned that if your class / students know fewer than 40 upper and lowercase letter and hear few, if any, sounds, they probably lack many aspects of concepts of print.  I know how important it is to get our students to learn the alphabet upper and lower case.  I have taught the alphabet in so many ways and this year I decided to make my own alphabet book for my class.  You can find it in my Teacher Pay Teacher store.  It's called My Alphabet/Dictionary Book. 

Using this book the children will trace the upper and lower case letters everyday with the whole class, in small group, or with a tutor/parent.  Saying the names of the letters while tracing, and the name of the picture.  She recommends the tactile experience, which she says is "essential for building memory trace"(no tracing with pencil or marker).  According to Jan Richardson the alphabet book you use should relate to the reading program you use.  I currently am using the Treasures Reading program, so one part of My Alphabet/Dictionary Book I created has the letters and pictures relating to the Treasure wall sound cards, another relates to the Open Court wall sound cards, and the last is just  generic pictures that are usually used in most Alphabet books.  I have decided once the children know their letters to also use this book as a dictionary for each child to keep at their desk.  They can put words they want to use in their writings and high frequency words in it.  You can also just have your students/children practice writing their upper and lower case letters on the pages, or use the cards in a center.  With this Alphabet /Dictionary book there are many uses.  It's up to you. 

Another key reason I made this book is that I teach many second language learners who do not always have much experience with English let alone concepts of print.  Many of my Kindergarten students have never even been to school so anything that can help the children learn their letters and alphabet quickly I'm all for.  Jan Richardson also suggest that "Once students know most of their letters and have enough English to understand simple directions they are ready for emergent guided reading lessons. 

Well I'd like to end by saying  I've been teaching for 30+ years and I'm always looking for new ideas to help me and remind me of methods and strategies relating to teaching the multiple subjects we teach each day.   The Next Step in Guided Reading  is filled with a lot of information, methods, and strategies for Guided reading.  If you have a chance I thinks its worth a read.