GUIDED READING:

STARTING THE
YEAR OFF RIGHT...
BY: CARMEN LEMEN
EDU 689-2
WITH THE BENCHMARK ASSESSMENT
SYSTEM:
Begin by testing new students and students who are beginning the year below grade level as indicated by last
years end-of-the-year level. This will allow you to place students with high needs into interventions quickly.
For students new to the district, begin with the Where-to-Start Word Tests, Reading Street; Guidelines for
identifying program entry point, or RTI diagnostic tests to get an accurate level to begin the assessment.
Use last years end-of-year level as your starting point with students who have them.You may or may not need
to start with the word lists with these students.
As students move through levels for the assessment, remember to switch off between fiction and nonfiction
tests. It is not necessary, however, to give the fiction and nonfiction assessments for each level.
Determine all three levels for each student: independent, instructional, and hard. Make sure you have an
accurate wpm.
WITH KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS:

Begin the year by assessing students who show readiness to read.

As the quarter progresses and other students reach readiness, continue to benchmark, being
sure all students are assessed by October 31st.
Even though not all students will be assessed until October 31st, instruction in small groups
should begin immediately based around identified skills and strategies students need
instruction in.
Pre-A lessons can be used to teach early reading behavior, instruct students in foundational
skills, and expose students to text.
WITH ABOVE GRADE LEVEL STUDENTS:

Fountas and Pinnell recommend that instruction for a student reading above grade-level begin at the first level of text, one grade-level
above their current grade. An occasion may arise where the Fountas and Pinnell recommendations may not meet the needs of an
exceptional child. When making these individual decisions, the below criteria should be met:
Multiple data points support student reading at a high level. Accurate word reading is not the only goal. (fluency, comprehension,
phonemic awareness)
NWEA MAP Reading RIT score indicates the student is performing at or above the 95th percentile in reading.
Benchmark Assessment Comprehension is excellent, not satisfactory or limited.
High ability learners in any classroom should be making a full years worth of growth regardless of how often they are meeting in
Guided Reading groups with the teacher. The recommendation is to meet at least once a week with the highest group; however, a
structure should be in place within a classroom that provides these students with high-quality independent tasks that challenge and
extend the meaning of texts. Beyond just this structure for managing the work of these students, it is a necessity that students receive
frequent feedback from their classroom teachers on their independent work, reading, and writing.
WITH GROUPING STUDENTS:

The most important part of Guided Reading is ensuring that a student is reading at an appropriate
level of text that still provides problem solving opportunities within the text. Groups should remain
flexible and dynamic throughout the year, being sure students are moving towards their goals and
not remaining stagnant at a level of text.
Group students together based on the Benchmark Assessment System results for your classroom
(surrounding all assessment used, not just one.).
It may be appropriate and beneficial for students to group across classrooms.
The recommendation is five or six students in a group, and the expectation is 60 minutes of Guided
Reading per day (3 groups, 20 minutes each). However, if students are in Leveled Literacy
intervention groups, these groups are in 3-4.
Students with higher needs (struggling and excelling) may benefit from working in a smaller group.
Example: SAT, RTI, LLI.
WITH YOUR CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT DATA

1. Use MAP & Benchmark Assessment System data analysis to place students into one of the following categories,
represented by the first column of the table: Above grade-level expectation on both MAP and BAS, On grade-level for
both MAP and BAS, Below grade-level expectation on MAP, on grade-level for BAS or On grade-level for MAP, below
grade-level expectation for BAS, and Below grade-level expectation on both MAP and BAS.
2. Use MAP and Benchmark Assessment System data to identify relative strengths and weaknesses as recommended
by the second column, while moving across the row for each category of student.
3. Based on the identified strengths and weaknesses, targeted instructional guidance is provided in the third column.
4. Once an instructional focus has been identified for each student, begin targeted instruction during
RtI/Enrichment/Targeted Instruction Time.
5. Progress monitor using recommended sources and tools located in the third column of the table. Make
adjustments to instruction and placement as data indicates.

ABOVE GRADE-LEVEL

1. Initial Data Analysis of MAP &

Benchmark Assessment System
2. Identify Relative Strengths and
Weaknesses
3. Instructional
Guidance

Begin targeted instruction through:

Use MAP reports to identify goal
strands of relative strength and
Above grade-level expectation
weakness. Use the DesCartes and
on both MAP and BAS
BAS data to identify specific teaching
points.
Literature circles
Independent Reading Extensions
Mini Lessons
Writing about Reading
Genre Study
Access for All-Advanced
Independent Stations
HAL Teacher input
Progress monitor:
Running Records
Observational/Anecdotal notes
MAP Student Goal Setting Worksheet
Consult F&P 10 Month Progress Monitoring by
Instructional Text Reading Level chart for growth
expectations
ON GRADE LEVEL

Begin targeted instruction to:

Reteach previous weeks skills
Reinforce this weeks skills
Preteach next weeks skills

On grade-level for both MAP
and BAS
Use MAP DesCartes, Weekly Tests
(Formative Assessments), and
Running Records to identify goal
strands, skills, or strategies of relative
strength and weakness in need of
support and enrichment.
With:
Pearson Leveled Readers
Reading Street Core Curriculum
Other supporting curricular materials
Progress monitor:
Running Records
Observational/Anecdotal notes
Weekly Tests - Reading Street
Dont Wait Until Friday - Reading Street
MAP Student Goal Setting Worksheet
Consult F&P 10 Month Progress Monitoring by
Instructional Text Reading Level chart for growth
expectations
BELOW AND ON GRADE LEVEL

Begin targeted instruction with:

Below grade-level expectation Access for All Strategic Intervention - Reading Street
on MAP, on grade-level for Reading Street Concept Literacy or Below Level Readers
BAS If there is an identified strong need for a certain area of reading,
Student uses ability to read, to the Reading Street RtI kit could also be used
learn skills
Use MAP Reports to Identify specific
goal strands of relative strength and Progress Monitor:
weakness and use DesCartes to Running Records
identify teaching points Observational/Anecdotal notes
On grade-level for MAP, below
grade-level expectation for MAP Student Goal Setting Worksheet
BAS Informal DesCartes Checklist
Student uses skills, to learn to Consult F&P 10 Month Progress Monitoring by
read Instructional Text Reading Level chart for growth
expectations
BELOW GRADE LEVEL
Below grade-level expectation 2.
on MAP and BAS
1.Use MAP reports and BAS analysis
to determine LLI placement (where
applicable) or which RtI kit screeners
to administer, (Fluency, Phonics,
Phonemic Awareness,
Comprehension, Vocabulary).
Administer Reading Street Diagnostic
Screeners
3.
Looking at all students in a grade
level, determine groups and who will
be providing instruction (Reading
Specialist or classroom Teacher)
Begin targeted instruction with prescribed materials from
Reading Street RtI Kit or begin instruction with LLI, if
applicable.
Progress Monitor:
80% consistent mastery on Worktext pages =
Move to next targeted area if needed.
RtI Checklist indicates student consistently applies
skills
Consistently performs successfully in daily
academic core lessons (e.g. Unit Tests, Dont Wait
Until Friday, Formative Assessments, Weekly
Tests, Learning Activities, Observation)
Below 80% on RtI skills = Reteach
MAP Student Goal Setting Worksheet
Consult F&P 10 Month Progress Monitoring by
Instructional Text Reading Level chart for growth
expectations
OR, 2nd dose of Guided Reading with continued focus on
close reading, word work, etc.