Created by Wendy Taylor Taken from Debbie Diller

Workshop 2009(author of Practice with Purpose)

Set up your classroom and make space for whole group, small group and station work areas

Whole group teaching area-place for class to gather on floor-interactive read aloud/shared reading

Small group teaching-make sure you can see whole room-guided reading

Classroom Library -sort by genre, topic, author Writing Center –comfortable-place to display student

writing Creating a word wall Independent Work areas-labeled-some stationary-

some portable and students bring basket or bin to location in room

Think about 4-5 stations that you might like to try first week that are fairly easy to set up (buddy reading, classroom library/independent reading, computer, word study(sorting), listening)

For the first 4 weeks-partner kids together by who seems to get along well

Begin with independent reading-teach kids rules for independent reading (looks, sounds and feels like chart) and how to pick a “just right book” from classroom library

Listen in and talk to kids while reading Build background for stations through

modeling

Model how to think about a book-lots of whole group instruction

Discuss difference between fiction/nonfiction and model how you read them differently (make a chart to display near library)

Model how to summarize when reading-other skills/strategies

Teach kids how to buddy talk during whole group-how turn and talk works

Have kids help sort classroom library-discuss how to sign out books, put them back, keep track on a reading log

Get the class reading independently-build stamina (some teachers incorporate a reader’s notebook where students write responses to what they are reading )

Maybe introduce 2-3 stations throughout the week Pick an easy set up station like buddy reading Introduce station, write directions or “I Can” lists

together-students gain ownership of work 2 kids model for the class while other kids give

feedback Several kids sample stations for about 5-10

minutes-get a taste, check it out during down time Then maybe introduce listening-write directions

for tape recorder-have a couple of kids sample it when you have some time

Or simple word study station where kids work on sorting spelling words or stamping high frequency words

Continue to introduce about 1 station a day (maybe writing, guess my word, poetry, newspaper)

Same pattern (introduce, write “I Can”, 2 kids model feedback and some sampling)

Then you can have half the class independently read at seats and other half go to stations

Just verbally ask kids-who would like to try classroom library? Okay you 2 go there. How about listening?

Kids stay for about 10 minutes (remember only ½ class)

Then switch and those kids now read independently and the other ½ of class now tries stations

Add management board (see wiki under Literacy Work Stations)

Students rotate through 1-2 stations a day-

cards tell them where to go Make two sets of cards-back one in

orange and the other set in purple Rotate cards down for the next day

Switch up partners to kids who are in the same guided reading group-so as not to upset partners when you pull a group

Put a “Meet with Me” card over top of their station card so they know they will be meeting with the teacher for guided reading during that time

Share how it went after trying stations Do lots of modeling of station activities

whole group before moving it to a station If you are going to have students play a

word study game like syllable brainstorm-play the game whole group first

Literacy work stations are practice of what you did whole group-should reinforce phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension