13 April 2016

My Guided Reading Digital Toolbox

Hi there, Kinder Tribe!  I am Brittany from Mrs. Banister’s Kindergarten Kids, and I’m going to tell you about some of my favorite apps to use during my guided reading time.  

Guided reading is by far one of the most important times of the day.  I’m a firm believer that students learn best when working in small groups with someone leading them.  No program, device, or robot will ever change that! :)  However, there are so many meaningful, engaging resources available to the modern day student.

Many of you have probably heard of Reading A-Z, but have you heard of RazKids?  In a nutshell, RazKids is the digital version of Reading A-Z.  This affordable leveled reader program offers students an interactive set of books on their level (assigned by the teacher), where they can earn incentives for their reading!  The app allows students to read silently, be read to, or record their reading.  Higher levels of books also offer comprehension questions for each story.  In my classroom, we use a combination of both Reading A-Z and RazKids.  Since my students do not take their iPads home, Reading A-Z offers a great at-home connection to our guided reading time!

This program is expensive, but sign up for a free trial to check it out!

Confer is an app that houses all of your info!  While this app is a little pricey ($24.99), it is a one-stop shop for your guided reading information.  Confer can store your notes, your pictures of student work, your student goals… It literally does everything.  

Record of Reading is a free app from Clemson University.  Record of Reading is your running record in digital format.  After you complete your running record, you can save it or send it.  I love it because it eliminates the paper trail!

Running Record Toolbox has been in my guided reading toolbox for years!  Prior to my class going to a 1:1 environment, I used this app to determine my students running record scores.  It is quick, easy, and one you definitely need!  It’s much more than a calculator… It will tell you where your students are struggling and their level after reading the text!

Within our guided reading time, I also love to utilize creation apps for word work and retell.  Here are some of my favorites!
ChatterPix is great for story retell!  My kiddos this year have really needed extra support in retell… This app is GREAT and novel enough for kiddos to really engage in what they are doing.

PicCollage is WONDERFUL to use for any kind of graphic organizer.  Whether you are sequencing parts of the story, or organizing types of letters, this app offers limitless options!

Sock Puppet is a super fun app for story retell!  Students can practice retell by making their sock puppets tell the story.  We love using it in guided reading!

Thank you for joining me today!  Happy (Guided) Reading!

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