Guided Reading

This week we were assigned to find an article on guided reading. I found:
Modified Guided Reading: Gateway to English as a Second Language and Literacy Learning by Mary A. Avalos, Alina Plasencia, Celina Chavez, and Josefa Rascon.

Guided readings are extremely helpful to struggling readers as well as English-language learners (ELLs). The figure below shows the benefits of guided reading:

A few simple modifications should be made to help ELLs gain additional language-learning opportunities. Below are the differences between a guided reading and modified guided reading:

Steps to a successful modified guided reading:

1. Analyze the text: teachers should carefully read to text to see if it is appropriate for students. 
2. Set the scene or introduce the text: the introduction to the text is essential. teachers should make the introduction should be as long as necessary. Visual should be included if they will help ELLs understand. 
3. Shared reading: Students are given the opportunity to discuss to create understanding. Teachers can model fluent reading. 
4. Reading the text: Students read text on their own. The teacher takes notes and carefully observes. 
5. Returning to the text: Once the book is read, the teacher engages the group in a conversation. They must accept answers without giving criticism. 
6. Responding to the text: Engage in other activities that are related to reading. It further develops understand of the text. 
7. Word work: This helps students learn new words mentioned in the text. 

Through this article I learned that guided reading exercises take time and a lot of practice. Finding books that are appropriate for each reading level has to be difficult. I believe this is a one time process though. Once a teacher finds all the books they find appropriate, they can make simple modifications for each new group. Helping ELLs is a difficult task, but this article shows that you only need a few modifications to maximize learning.

Can you think of other modifications that can help ELLs?