How young English language learners experience reading instruction in a mixed reading ability classroom. (c2006)

Abstract

The study examined how Guided Reading instruction was carried out in a second grade classroom in a private English- medium school in Beirut, Lebanon. The main purpose of the study was to find out whether the approach can meet the needs of children at different reading levels. Six children, three boys and three girls, of different reading abilities were the focus of the study. Data was collected over eight months through systematic observations and unstructured interviews. Data on children's reading progress was assessed using reading records from a PM Benchmark Kit (Nelly & Smith, 2000) that is a comprehensive reading assessment resource. In addition, reading continuums (Hill, 2001) were used to determine how children were developing as readers. Eleven reading strategies were introduced to help the young readers problem solve words and texts. Children were observed using the strategies during both instructional and independent reading time. All six readers progressed but at a different pace. At the conclusion of the study, the two emergent readers were reading at grade level, the two developing readers were one and two grades above grade level, and the two fluent readers had reached 5th and 6th grade level. Although the findings cannot be generalized, it appears that the Guided Reading approach helped cater to very diverse reading abilities, and further studies with larger groups and different grade levels are recommended.