Reading Workshop takes place every day and lasts for 90 minutes.  We approach reading through a specific model called the Comprehensive Literacy Model.  In this model, students are taught explicit skills and concepts to become proficient readers in a variety of ways.  Workshop begins with explicit teaching of the concept or skill to be learned.  Anchor charts are made to ground the learning.  As the teacher, I model for the whole group what I want them to learn and they practice the learning during a time called guided practice.  After a moment of sharing, students transition into independent practice where they are expected to practice what we've learned using their own chosen independent texts. 

Throughout the year we focus on the following reading genres:

    * Narrative Text

            * Personal Narratives

            * Realistic Fiction

            * Science Fiction

            * Poetry

    * Informative Nonfiction

            * Biographies

            * Brochures

            * Feature Article

            * Research Report

    * Argumentative Text

            * Book Reviews

            * Persuasive Emails

            * Persuasive Ad or Flyer

            * Persuasive Speech

We also study the following reading strategies that deepen our understanding of text:

    * Making Connections to text

    * Making Inferences

    * Determining Importance within text

    * Synthesizing Text

    * Asking Questions about text

    * Visualizing the text

    * Fluency within text

Students also participate in small group work: guided reading and literature discussion groups (LDGs).  In guided reading students are placed in groups of no more than 4-5 students and practice specific skills needed to become proficient in reading using a small portion of text. They work at their instructional level which is slightly harder than their independent level of reading.  Their group takes place over two days for roughly 10-15 minutes.  Day 1 is spent reviewing and practicing what we want to learn and understand.  Day 2 is spent writing about our reading...extending and applying our learning in a different way.  

In Literature Discussion Groups students come together to choose, discuss, and write about text.  These groups are focused more on talking about the reading...thinking beyond or about the text in a different way.  They are much more student focused than guided reading which is led by me.  Students transition back and forth between guided reading and literature discussion groups as needed.

When not working in these groups, students are expected to be reading independently in their independent reading level for at least 30-45 minutes.  The expectation during this time is to be reading, reflecting o their reading, completing any guided practice activity, or completing activities from guided reading or LDG time.  Another important responsibility is writing to me about their reading, sharing their deep thinking and use of text in their Thoughtful Logs.  This log is key to their success in reading as we know students make deeper connections when they write about what they read.