Reader's Workshop

I like to think of reader’s workshop as an education tool of the future. Although it is not necessarily a new strategy in teaching, the various components of reader’s workshop and their impact on struggling readers are becoming well known to many teachers across the country. What is especially great about this approach is that students are able to choose which books they would like to read on an individual basis. No longer are students forced to only read books that the teacher assigns. This alters the attitude of many students from unmotivated with negative feelings regarding reading, to engaged and eager to read their book of choice.

This is how it works. Reader’s workshop begins with a mini lesson about a skill or strategy involving reading. After the lesson, students go back to their seats, or sometimes a comfortable rug or chair, and begin reading their books of choice. This is the time where the teacher has independent conferences with students regarding their reading and gets to know the students on an individual basis. During the conferences, the teacher helps the student set a personal goal to work on. For instance, when Bobby reads out loud to the teacher during their conference, the teacher notices that he seems to be skipping over periods and reading continuously. The teacher tells Bobby that she would like him to work on pausing at periods because that means it is the end of the sentence and the beginning of a new one. This type of individual attention is what our young readers need! Without reader’s workshop, there are very few ways this type of one-on-one interaction can take place. 

Another component to reader’s workshop is a reader’s response journal. Depending on the teacher’s preference, this journal could be used in a variety ways. Some examples of sections that may be a part in this journal include: vocabulary, connections, a reading log, personal goals, reflections, and genre guides. Reader’s response journals are excellent for not only students to share their thoughts in writing, but also for teachers to use to drive instruction. These journals can also be used for other purposes, like scaffolding for students and to assess students’ progress. Personally, I like the idea of giving the students self-assessment prompts because it helps them to see what the teacher is expecting from them and how they can improve individually. The component of a reader’s response journal within reader’s workshop is a simple way for students to connect their reading to writing. 

Mini lessons are especially important to reader’s workshop because it employs short instruction preceding the much-needed independent reading time. These 10-15 minute lessons have a narrow focus that is based on content knowledge. Seeing they are so short, students are able to focus much more than if it was a longer lesson. Mini-lessons also can be based on teachable moments that are spontaneously brought on by interaction during individual conferences. It is often common that if one student displays uncertainty on a particular topic, another student in the class may as well. This is where mini-lessons come into play. Also, I like the idea of having students sitting on a carpet in front of the teacher so they are more comfortable than at their desks. After the lesson, teachers may direct students to focus on something specific in their reading that they worked on in their mini lessons; for example, they may need practice with distinguishing between fiction and nonfiction. Other teachers may want their students to focus more on their individual goals that are set during conferences and simply have the mini lesson as something to think about. I think it’s a great idea to have mini-lessons right before independent reading because it allows students to practice what they just learned. Overall, mini lessons are great for introducing new content or reinforcing old without overwhelming students with a long lesson.

         Not only does reader’s workshop make reading more enjoyable for students, but it also creates a supportive environment where students respect one another and their teacher. Students are given choices as to what they want to read and write in their journals, and independent goals and challenges to work on. Reader’s workshop is beneficial for all students, but especially the weakest readers because they are able to get individualized attention that they may not have received otherwise. Classrooms with reader’s workshop foster positive attitudes towards reading and an increased self-confidence. No longer do students have to view reading as a terrible thing, but instead as a source of pleasure and knowledge. This attitude towards reading is what every teacher hopes for their students.