This document outlines an action research project investigating whether daily 20-minute guided reading lessons can increase fifth grade students' reading performance, confidence, and interest. The teacher implemented guided reading groups with texts at students' reading levels. Initial results from reading surveys and assessments were inconclusive. The teacher plans to continue guided reading for the full school year and reassess students to see if their reading skills, confidence, and interest improve over time.

1. ACTION RESEARCH:
GUIDED READING
T E S S O ’ R O U R K E
S E P T E MB E R 2 0 1 4

2. RESEARCH QUESTION
Will daily, 20 minute guided reading
lessons increase student’s performance,
confidence and interest in reading?

3. BACKGROUND
• What I have noticed in my 5th grade classroom:
• Many students are two or more grade levels behind in
reading fluency, accuracy and/or comprehension.
• Many students do not enjoy reading when they enter my
classroom because they find it difficult or boring.
• What I know about Guided Reading
• Daily, 20 minute guided reading lessons have been proven
to improve student performance on reading fluency,
accuracy and comprehension.
• When students enjoy what they read, they enjoy reading.

4. MY GOALS
• Through this action research, I hope to learn about the
effectiveness of guided reading on my student’s
performance and reading levels.
• Performance will be assessed through F&P reading
assessments.
• This action research will also help me determine if
guided reading improves student’s oral reading fluency
and accuracy.
• Confidence will be measured through a survey given at the
beginning and the end of the research period.
• It will also be measured through student engagement during
lessons.
• I also hope to see if reading engaging and exciting
reading books at their level will change student’s
attitudes towards reading
• Interest will be assessed through a survey given at the
beginning and the end of the research period.

5. LIT REVIEW
• Several great resources to check out if you are
interested in guided reading:
• What is Guided Reading- Fountas & Pinnell
• What is Guided Reading- Scholastic Article
• Using Guided Reading to Develop Student
Independence- ReadWriteThink

6. GUIDED READING OVERVIEW
• Guided reading is “planned, intentional, focused
instruction where the teacher helps the students,
usually in small group settings, learn more about the
reading process” (Ford, M.P., Optiz, M.F., pp. 229)
• Guided reading is considered a “best practice”
because of all of the gains it can offer to student’s
independent reading skills and performance.
• Guided reading should only be one part of a
comprehensive literacy program in order to yield
successful results (Fountas & Pinnell, 2012).

7. GUIDED READING GROUPS
• Groups are 6-8 students
• Groups last for 20 minutes
• Groups are homogeneous (include students who
are all at the same independent reading level)
• Groups are flexible and temporary
• Students can move in and out of a group at any time
based on their rising or falling reading level.
• Students should be grouped within their Zone of
Proximal Development (Burkins, J., Croft, M., 2013).
• Assessments should be ongoing so that students
can move in and out of groups as necessary.

8. GUIDED READING TEXTS
• Texts must be high quality and engaging.
• Teachers need a wide variety of different texts to
choose from for each group throughout the year
(all at the right level for the group).
• Texts should be within the groups Zone of Proximal
Development.
• Text difficulty should be assessed by the Fountas
and Pinnell assessment.
• Texts should include extensions that students can
read after the lesson.

9. GUIDED READING LESSON PLANS
• Part One: Before Reading
• Introduction to the text
• Make predictions
• Teach reading strategies
• Part Two: During Reading
• Use strategies taught before reading
• Whisper read
• Teacher conferences/running records with some students
• Part Three: After Reading
• Answering questions: within the text, about the text, beyond
the text.

10. METHODOLOGY
• Research was conducted during the first few months of
the 2014-2015 school year
• Veritas Prep Charter School in Springfield, MA
• A group of thirty 5th grade students
• Guided reading exposure during 2 classes per day–
reading workshop (2 groups) and morning tutoring (1
group)
• Each guided reading group met for 20 minutes and
focused on reading habits such as: predicting,
monitoring comprehension and inferencing.
• Students were assessed through F&P tests and surveys.

11. THE READING SURVEY

12. RESULTS AND ANALYSIS
• Inconclusive results:
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
I love reading.
You will often see
me reading in my
free time.
Sometimes I get
really into a book,
but other times I
have trouble
finding something I
like.
I don't like reading
because it is hard
for me.
I don't like reading
because it is
boring.
Reading Interest
Reading Interest

13. RESULTS AND ANALYSIS
• Before: After:
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
I love to read
in front of the
class, you
can call on
me anytime.
Reading Confidence
I don't mind
reading out
loud, but I
don't raise my
hand to
volunteer.
Reading out
loud terrifies
me
16
14
12
10
8
Reading Confidence
6
4
2
0
I love to read
in front of the
class, you
can call on
me anytime.
Reading Confidence
I don't mind
reading out
loud, but I
don't raise my
hand to
volunteer.
Reading out
loud terrifies
me.
Reading Confidence

14. ANALYSIS
• While the full results of this project are not yet
finalized, I believe that this initial spike in the positive
direction for both reading interest and reading
performance will continue throughout the 2014-
2015 school year.
• I plan to keep these guided reading groups going
for the entire year to see if student’s interest,
confidence and performance in reading increases
over time.

15. REFLECTIONS
• Things I missed:
• A survey about student’s specific preferences when it
comes to genres and reading habits.
• Need more research about how to boost student
confidence in reading besides just having students read out
loud.
• Things to add:
• Pair guided reading lessons with phonics and decoding
lessons next time