I am afraid to ask this question as I know it is a “balanced literacy” program. I also saw that it is whole class guided reading and that alarms me. Does anyone have first hand experience with this program or can you direct me to any research articles on it? My child’s school seems to be going in that direction at least at grade 2 and up.
Thanks,
Janis
I am a regular ed. classroom teacher and have been using 4 blocks at the first grade level for 4 years. The Guided Reading block is supported by the other three blocks, which are self-selected reading, writing, and working with words The framework is multi-level. You specifically asked about Guided Reading. This block is the comprehension block. It is divided into three parts: before reading, during reading, and after reading. The students are taught various strategies for comprehension and then the teacher chooses the format for the students for the during portion. If a child needs a great deal of support, the teacher will often use a format supporting this. There are some good websites at www.teachers.net and also www.readinglady.com that talk about Four Blocks. Above all, ask questions at your child’s school about Four Blocks. Good luck!