The Next Step in Guided Reading: Summary of Literacy Gains

Data was collected on students in a Title I school with 72% free and reduced lunch and 50% English Language Learners (ELLs). Teachers in the school provided literacy instruction to their students over the course of one school year, following the lesson format of Jan Richardson’s The Next Step in Guided Reading. Below is a summary of the gains made and charts with data from individual students, grades K-2. Remarkable gains were made by students at each grade level. A significant number of the students at year-end scored at or above grade level as assessed by guided reading level (The Developmental Reading Assessment).

Grade K

Letter learning: For nine weeks in the fall, kindergarten students participated in small group instruction using the Pre-A lesson format. Students gained an average of 26 letters (upper and lowercase).

Reading: In December students began guided reading. Students achieved a mean gain of 3.7 benchmark levels. In June the median reading level was F (more than half of the students were at or above benchmark level F), with 87% at or above the grade level benchmark (Level D). Below is a histogram showing the distribution of benchmark levels for December (blue) and June (red). The number of students starting guided reading in December and completing the school year was 78.

Grade 1

Reading: Students achieved a mean gain of 7.0 benchmark levels. In June, the median reading level was K (more than half of the students were at or above benchmark level K), with 83% at or above the grade level benchmark (Level J). Below is a histogram showing the distribution of benchmark levels for September (blue) and June (red). The number of students starting in September and finishing the school year was 75.

Grade 2

Reading: Students achieved a mean gain of 6.1 benchmark levels. In June, the median reading level was P (more than half of the students were at or above benchmark level P), with 85% at or above the grade level benchmark (Level M). Below is a histogram showing the distribution of benchmark levels for September (blue) and June (red). The number of students starting in September and finishing the school year was 62.