Guiding Developing Readers: Chapter 5 is brought to you by...

Me!! 
We've had a slight schedule change and y'all are just going to have to make do with me as this chapter's host!
Here is the schedule (updated) and for those of you who are new to the book study.

Click on the image above to be taken to a pdf of the schedule with hyperlinks to each of the co-hosts.
Click here to download the Chapter 5 Note Sheet. 

This is the stuff I've been waiting for! I'm not sure how many of you noticed but I mentioned a few posts back that I am going to be moving to GRADE 3 next year (and the amazing Leslie, from Kindergarten Works has already moved my button on the TBA page!). 
So that we are talking about developing readers (and the next chapter on fluent readers) we are talking my language. I am a little nervous to move to Grade 3 because I have only been in Grade 4 for 1 1/2 years after 7  in Grade 7/8...that was a big jump. Am I ready for my friends to be even smaller? Again, this was the driving force behind choosing this book for a book study. 
Some things to remember about developing readers: - they are transitioning between oral and silent reading, between tracking and fluency, between word-level and text-level comprehension - they have a large personal word bank and use a variety of strategies for figuring out new words - they can now pay attention to higher-level text comprehension - this is the time to reinforce comprehension strategies - are beginning to know and understand the difference between fiction and non-fiction, and how to use informational texts to locate the information that they want
Developing readers need: - be reminded to listen to the voice in their head - read aloud if they need more oral practice - given opportunities to read silently as well - start tracking their thinking using sticky notes
Texts for Developing Readers This is an area that I am most concerned about...how do I find texts suitable for my readers without always having to rely on literacy programs designed by people who aren't in the room with my students.
WHERE DO PEOPLE FIND ALL THE TEXTS THEY USE FOR GUIDED READING?
I also love that Lori includes list of what texts for this stage will look like, or the characteristics they contain but I am worried that I will have to spend sooooo much of my time trying to find texts for my students.
The Guided Reading Lesson 
Before: - remember that concepts and topics may be beyond the schema of your readers - have students do their own picture walk - talk about the purpose for reading - decide if you want to pre-teach the vocabulary found in the text **
During: - if students struggle with fluency they should still be reading aloud - read only a short chunk at a time, choose a pause point, place a sticky note Stop-sign - 1st reading is to process print, pause to discuss, and then repeat the process by moving the stop sign to a new pause point - discuss a new purpose for the 2nd reading of the text** Very important as so many students are still working to make sense of the text the first time they read it** - address a comprehension goal first before any word-level goals
After: - discuss, evaluate, interpret - encourage students to support their opinions using the references to the text - must-do activities should reinforce comprehension strategies or written response to reading - fluency is a goal for readers at this stage so that they don't lose meaning of the longer and more complex sentences found in the text
Must-Do & the Reading-Writing Connection: The more I read through Guiding Readers the more impressed I am by the breadth of knowledge and information that Lori has provided to her readers. The must-do's in each chapter are fantastic and I think they will become my favourite part of guided reading. When I taught grades 7 and 8, my students wrote a letter in the their literacy log to me once a week. These letters contained a short retell of the independent reading book they were currently reading, and prompts based on the comprehension strategy we were studying. I enjoyed reading my students' letters each week because I really got to know them as people. We had full discussions about literature in these letters. Many of my students would ask me about my reading and over time the letters became less about doing an assignment and more about talking about something we loved- reading.
I tried a similar program with my grade 4's this year and sadly discovered that they just weren't old enough for the way I had run things in my previous classrooms. I am excited to see if I can incorporate some of my old program with Lori's must- do's and gain back that feeling of "discussing" books with my students, not only in our guided reading sessions but in their responses to reading. 
Do you have your students complete a MUST-DO after guided reading? Do you write letters or other literature responses? How has Lori's book changed your thinking in this area?
Plus, don't forget to link up your own posts here!!