Modified Guided Reading Lesson-Planning Framework

Source: Figure 2, MGR Lesson-Planning Framework from Avalos, M. A., Plasencia,

A., Chavez, C., & Rascón, J. (2007). Modified guided reading: Gateway to English as a
second language and literacy learning. The Reading Teacher, 318-329.

Planning the lesson(s)

1. Determine objectives of lessons(s) based upon instructional needs (English-language
learning and literacy learning).
a. Determine the main idea or essential message from text and supporting
information.
b. Read for information to use in performing a task and learning a new task.
c. Identify words and construct meaning from the text.
Students will understand what an adjective is.
Student will understand why we use adjectives.
Students will understand that adjectives are used to describe things.
Student will be able to use adjectives to describe themselves

2. Group students by name/oral L2 level-instructional reading level (e.g., Student 1/1-

first grade, Student 2/1-first grade).
1 or more Level 1 Students.

Level 1 Students have very limited vocabulary. These students are often new
arrivals with very little pervious English language training. This student has very
little English language beyond simple questions and sentences. Level 1 students
also lack oral comprehension and have trouble following directions or simple
classroom assignments.

Level 1 Students: RECOUNT

Listening: Show what happens next based on familiar oral stories. Drawing or
providing other visual displays of people, animals, or objects in response to oral
prompts.
Speaking: Responding to questions related to stories or experiences. Acting out
and naming events or experiences throughout the day.
Reading: Identifying key words and phrases in illustrated text. Signaling language
associated with content related information.
Writing: Labeling images that illustrate the steps for different processes. Creating
visual representations of ideas and stories.

Level 1 Students: EXPLAIN

Listening: Pointing to visual characteristics of models or real-life objects. Pairing
objects, pictures.
Speaking: Describing the outcomes of experiments. Naming and answering
questions related too classroom routines.

Note. As ELLs become more proficient (orally and literary), they will need less
support. This framework should be adjusted to reflect more student responsibility
as the teacher facilitates learning and guides when necessary.
 Reading: Identifying words and phrases in titles and highlighted texts. Matching
pictures with graphic information.
Writing: Listening and illustrating ideas.

3. Select guided-reading books based upon objectives and students’ instructional

reading levels.
Book: I CAN BE by Reading A to Z. Level C

This book is focused around adjectives, which would make it a great way to
introduce adjectives to a Level 1 EL student. This book has repetitive sentence
which are great to support Level 1 readers. This book will help the students
complete many of the Level 1 Recount Can Do Descriptors. This book prompts
student to think imaginably and comparatively about adjectives as they describe
themselves. Students will learn different descriptive words/adjectives they can
use to them describe themselves. This book will be great for helping Level 1 ELL
students understand what adjectives are and how we use them.

4. Analyze the text and identify literacy challenges based upon your knowledge of the
students.
a. Semantics:
i. Vocabulary:
1. Focus on common English morphemes (e.g., affixes) or
orthographic patterns
2. Identify two to three words for receptive vocabulary and five to
nine words for productive vocabulary
3. Understand the meaning of the story whenever possible
ii. Figurative language:
iii. Homophones (words that sound the same, different meanings):
1. Homographs (words that are spelled the same but have
different meanings and origins):
b. Grammar (complex syntax, punctuation):
c. Text structure (narrative, expository):
d. Content or concept (cultural relevance):
e. Strategy instruction (if needed, identify good places to insert strategy
instruction during shared reading [e.g., think-alouds, elicitation of predictions,
word solving])
I think this text is perfect for Level 1 EL students. There are a few literary challenges
the students might face.
Vocabulary: Meek, silent, peacock, cheetah, proud, slug
High Frequency Words: I, can, be
Figurative Language: This book is full of similes. Every page compares an action to an
animal.
No Homophones
Grammar: Short repetitive sentences. Every sentence start with I can be.., Simple
Subject in sentences.
Note. As ELLs become more proficient (orally and literary), they will need less
support. This framework should be adjusted to reflect more student responsibility
as the teacher facilitates learning and guides when necessary.
 Text structure: Descriptive Text
Content: Adjectives

Extending the lessons(s)

Word work:
Activity: Students will recognize and use high frequency words and activities from the
book. Students will take the adjectives from the book, write the word and then draw a
picture that defines that word.

Justification: The activity aligns with my objectives and also goes along with the Can-
Do Descriptors Recount: Listening and Reading. Students will be providing visual
displays in response to reading. It also aligns with identifying key words and phrases
within an illustrated text.

Writing:
Activity: Students can get in groups or work individually and work on using adjectives
to describe themselves. They can draw pictures or write using simple sentences. EL
students could get paired with non-EL students to help generating different adjectives
to describe themselves.

Justification: This again aligns with a few of my objectives for the lesson. The main
one would be having students use adjectives to describe themselves. This activity goes
along with the Level 1 Explain: Writing, which is listening and illustrating ideas.

Possible minilessons:
Activity: Get students thinking about different adjectives they can use to describe.
After reading the book, with a small group, we can spend some time coming up with
different adjectives used to describe ourselves, others, places. We can start making a
list and going over together what those words mean.

Justification: This mini-lesson hits on a few of my objectives and would fit great within
a larger adjectives lesson. I feel like it goes along with the book and writing activity I
have chosen. The mini lesson also aligns with the descriptor for Level 1 Explain:
reading. Students are going to be taking words they have read and heard and talking
about what they mean and how we would describe them.

Note. As ELLs become more proficient (orally and literary), they will need less
support. This framework should be adjusted to reflect more student responsibility
as the teacher facilitates learning and guides when necessary.