The open ended nature of reading workshop creates opportunities for all kinds of student growth, but it can also make things feel unmoored and chaotic. Even when your students have the routines down pat, you may wonder if your instruction and assessment are a little too free-form.
For me, the problem went like this: my reading block was short (80 minutes a day), and I often had to choose between giving students time to read each day (the heart of workshop), or doing some kind of paperwork that would translate into a grade for that week. Time was so limited that losing even one day of independent reading a week felt like too much.
Assigning a daily reading prompt helped solve the problem. It meant that assessment was integrated into our daily reading routines so I could have both without sacrificing either. Here’s how it worked:
Assign a Daily Reading Prompt to FOCUS Independent Reading
Each day, write a short prompt that connects to the day’s mini lesson. Here are some examples:
- Mini Lesson: Readers determine how an author uses special print (bold, large print, italics) within a certain text.
- Reading Prompt: How does this author use special print?
- Mini Lesson: Theme is a central idea that can be inferred from the text.
- Reading Prompt: What is the theme of this book? How can you tell?
- Mini Lesson: Readers notice and interpret figurative language.
- Reading Prompt: Write down one example of figurative language from your book. Then, write down its literal meaning.
Display the prompt throughout independent reading time. At some point during their reading, students look up from their book and respond to the prompt. I like to use bookmarks like the one shown above for this. Students keep their bookmark in their book, and record their response on it each day.
Students should only spend 1-3 minutes responding to the prompt. They should spend most of their time reading. This routine is established during the first 20 days of reading workshop.
Review & Assess Student Responses
At the end of independent reading time, gather students to the rug or their seats. Remind them of the prompt, and ask students to read their response aloud. This is great because you can immediately see whether or not the class has mastered what you taught in the mini lesson. You can correct any misconceptions as you discuss responses with students.
I created a record sheet and an easy evaluation system (pictured above) for this part of reading workshop. I would (silently) evaluate each response and record my assessment on the record sheet. After I had ten days worth of responses, I would add up the points and use the total as a grade if I needed to.
(I only used this as a grade once or twice a grading period. Often the assessment was only used to inform my own instruction, and didn’t make it into the grade book).
I love this system because it:
- keeps students accountable for their daily reading.
- gives students a concrete way to apply what they learned during the mini lesson.
- allows for immediate application of the mini lesson.
- provides a method for daily assessment.
- gives the teacher feedback on today’s teaching.
- integrates guided practice and assessment with independent reading.
This system worked really well for me. It meant I could assess students daily without taking time away from independent reading.
If you’d like to learn more about assigning a daily reading focus, see my Guide to Independent Reading Routines. This resources has recently been updated to include digital resources that support distance learning. If you’re interested in implementing a daily reading prompt, all of my genre units come with daily reading prompts!
