Guided Reading: Good First Teaching for All Children

I had this book at close tabs at all times. I really loved the icons they have at the back of the book (these are center icons). I photocopied and laminated them, and used them to rotated the children through their centers daily. I LOVE the list of books for each reading level. A big help when choosing books to read with each reading group. Excellent book. A must have in each classroom.

Fountas and SuPinnel have written a book that has all the answers to any questions I have ever needed regarding teaching reading with groups. I have been teaching for 5 years and have finally found a book that really gives me clear explanantions, ideas, etc. The biggest question any teacher (especially beginning teachers) I know has ever asked themselves (including myself) was: "WHAT ARE THE REST OF THE CHILDREN DOING, while one works with a guided reading group? I have heard many ideas BUT this book has the best and most organized answer ever. If you have the same question(s) then you have to get this book. The entire book is fantastic, as Ms. Giacobbe put it, in the foreword, "why didn't someone tell us this before?" I felt the best part of this awesome book was Chapter Five: Managing the Classroom. The "Work Board" idea is one I've seen before but never truly understood until I read this book. The authors clearly tell you how to make, organize, and use the work board. They even explain, in detail, each Literacy Activity: Browsing Boxes, ABC, Listening, Art, Writing, Reading Around the Room, Independent Reading, Poem Box, Buddy Reading, and much more. Chapter Thirteen had some great ideas for Literacy Activities, specifically the Letter and Word Activities. The ABC Center ideas were excellent. Reading this book makes you want to do it all! I can't wait until the Fall!

Fountas and Pinnell reach right into the heart of effective guided reading in the elementary classroom. Their book provides a clear plan for implementing a student-centered, learner-driven, EFFECTIVE guided reading program. Included are organizational strategies, templates, and bibliographies to help both beginning and veteren teachers take advantage of an approach that serves the needs of all children in diverse classrooms. These guided reading goddesses explain not just the WHY, but the HOW - HOW to actually conduct guided reading lessons, how to manage the data gathered from these lessons, and how to create a learning atmosphere that is supportive of all students, not just the brightest or those who happen to be sitting at the teacher's table at that moment. These edxpert teachers remind us that guided reading is NOT about creating "easy", static groups; rather, they help teachers see that guided reading addresses NEEDS, and that these student needs are fluid. Using Fountas and Pinnell's strategies for implementing guided reading, any teacher can create the flexible, needs-based and responsivce groupings that children require to achieve progress in reading. A must for all teachers!

Last year I used the approaches advocated in this book in my first grade classroom. It was extremely successful! Every student left first grade reading and most were highly enthusiastic. I suggest combining the methods in here with the books titled Mosaic of Thought, Word Matters and Making Words.

I've taught for twenty-eight years. During this time, I've used many different resources in the area of reading instruction. This book has done more for my students and myself than any approached I have used. I've never had students as enthusiastic about reading; and I'm having a ball teaching them. Daily, I see their improvement; it's dramatic!