For all students from the first years of school to upper elementary and middle school, text selection is very important. We recommend short texts for guided reading even at intermediate and middle-grade levels. The things students learn reading short texts can be applied to longer texts in independent reading. Here are some other considerations for selecting texts for intermediate/middle-level readers:
For all students from the first years of school to upper elementary and middle school, text selection is very important. We recommend short texts for guided reading even at intermediate and middle-grade levels. The things students learn reading short texts can be applied to longer texts in independent reading. Here are some other considerations for selecting texts for intermediate/middle-level readers:
- Select nonfiction texts with compelling topics and stories that will engage readers.
- Select texts that have excellent examples of high-quality writing in the genre.
- Examine the illustrations to assure that nonfiction texts include complex graphics that help readers learn how to synthesize information from them and integrate it with the body of the text.
- Assure that fiction texts have high quality illustrations (where applicable) that enhance the meaning of the text and communicate the mood.
- Assure that the range of texts are accurate, culturally sensitive, and reflect the diversity of our world.
- Select texts that have deeper messages so that students can reach out for them.
From Guided Reading: Responsive Teaching Across the Grades by Irene C. Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell. Copyright (c) 2017 by Irene C. Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell. Published by Heinemann.
