The children read daily in a variety of different ways. Each week the students shop for five new books from book baskets that hold books on their reading levels. We call these their "just right" books, meaning that they are books that are not too hard or too easy for them to read independently. These five books go into their baggies which are stored in their seat pockets.
The first day we read these books privately, practicing using picture clues and decoding skills to read some unfamiliar words. The teachers circulate, listening to each child read a page or two from one of their new books.
The next day will find the children choosing reading partners. Off they go to various parts of the classroom, sitting shoulder to shoulder, helping each other read their new books. Having a reading buddy is very helpful as the children assist each other to figure out new words and to make sense of the new books. Partners are exchanged often. By rereading a new book several times, the students develop more confidence in their reading abilities and their oral reading will become more expressive and fluent.
The teachers continue to listen to each child read individually throughout the week, encouraging continuous growth both in reading skills and self-confidence. After several days, the children each select one of their baggie books to read the whole book to the teacher. Often this book is sent home in an envelope to be read at home. Many of these books become favorites to be read over and over. Some of the books that were read with partners are often chosen the following week by another student who had the pleasure of having it read to them the week before. The children enjoy partner reading and learn so much from each other.
