1. Guiding Readers and Writers Grades 3-6
Fountas and Pinnell
Positives Negatives
 Leveled readers conform with research on  Reliance on mini-lessons suggest lack of
readability, though not cited strong direct instruction…what role might
 Guided reading groups provide many research there be for whole class instruction?
proven sections (e.g. prediction, clarify,  Very little evidence of identifying mastery of
summarize, teacher question, response in standards or lesson level assessment (mini-
writing). lesson but how do we know it worked)
 Strategies listed are quite extensive and seem  Joyful reader rhetoric has no research base
to capture ideas across many aspects of and is hyperbole
reading  Very little research base sited and none in our
 Response to literature section is strong populations
 Writing process is strong and includes  All strategies are listed but they are non-
suggested scope and sequence, though this is hierarchical and do not take into account
not researched/aligned to college readiness evidence base.
 Ideas for vocabulary instruction seem strong  Poor support and guidance on struggling
and research based students (one page a chapter which basically
says more of the same)
 A lot of time in centers and on worksheets and
away from teacher
 No reading scope an sequence at all
 Early reading overview is problematic at best
 Assessment section is reductive and even
includes miscue analysis
To Improve the Program
 Consider what research tells us about assessment, decoding and comprehension
rather than a vast list of possibilities
 Instructional hierarchy should be based on research, not teacher “interests and
talents” or even such biased data as interviews and observation
 Scope and sequence should be aligned to standards not teacher “interest and
talents”
 Revisit concepts of mastery based on assessment that is standards based both in
whole class and small group setting.
 Evidence based tiered intervention as an answer to struggling readers based on
more reliable data source than just interviews and observations.
 Keep leveled groups but consider an evidence based program like reciprocal
teaching for the basic structure
 While Writing Workshop is strong, consider what standards suggest are the most
important areas for work, with a focus on expository writing.
 Maintain response to literature and structured independent reading, but perhaps
not as long