Ok so, I'm breaking the rule about two posts in one day...but whatever! I haven't joined a linky party in a while and really wanted to share how Reading A to Z has helped my struggling students.
I'm the second grade inclusion teacher for my campus. I was also the kindergarten inclusion teacher before, so I always have students with a significantly broad range of abilities. Right now, I have students reading on a level A, students on a level S and everything in the middle! It can be quite daunting to keep up with them all and make sure every single one of them is making progress.
In order to help my most struggling students, I meet with them every day for guided reading but I also have a parent volunteer come twice a week. My parent volunteer works on sight words with my most struggling students but I also send them with leveled books from Reading A to Z to read aloud to her. As you all know, the more opportunities struggling readers have to read books on their instructional level, the more progress they will make.
I love Reading A to Z because I can print out leveled books, have a parent helper put them together for me and my students can read them at school and take them home. It is so crucial for students to have books on their instructional level at home. Many times I find that parents want to read with their child but they have no idea what guided reading is, what level their child is on or how to help them.
I make it a point to have a ziploc bag in their take home binders that they can put their RAZ books in. I speak with parents at conferences about the book bag and how crucial it is that they have their child read to them every night.
The RAZ membership is not free but it is so worth every penny! If you have a super awesome principal, he may even buy the membership for you. The website also has a ton of extra materials for you. (I'm not a paid spokesperson or anything, just a teacher who has been a RAZ member for three years and I've truly seen benefits for my kids.)
Click on the picture for a link to the website:
I love Reading a-z. I also use Writing a-z and love it as well! They break all of the writing into stages based on their level (emergent-fluent).
ReplyDeleteDon't Let The Teacher Stay Up Late
I've never seen the writing a-z stuff, I will have to check it out! Thanks for sharing!
DeleteI love reading a-z and RAZ kids. They both have been some of the best teaching purchases I've ever made. I wish my district would pay for it, but for now it has been worth every penny. The only negative is all the printing/copying the books take up.
ReplyDeleteThe REAL Teachers of Orange County
Very true about the printing. I print from my school library, I figure if I can spend money on the membership (plus a countless number of other teaching tools) then the school can at least provide a printer and ink! It's my rationale. ;)
DeleteI love reading A-Z! I use the fluency passages for my students' weekly fluency folders. you have an adorable blog!! My sister and I are your newest followers!! -Jackie and Danielle-
ReplyDeletesisterteachers.blogspot.com
I use both Reading A-Z and Raz-kids and love them both. We have a district wide membership for Reading A-Z and my principal bought me Raz-kids. I use it for "Listen to Reading". I make copies and put into leveled baskets. Then, my lowest reading kiddos take 3-4 of them home on Mondays for extra reading homework. They bring them back the next Monday and trade them in for 3-4 more. When I progress monitor, they can move up (if they are ready). They have the system down pat, and I don't have to do much but make sure they take their books home! Thanks for sharing! I am a new follower!
ReplyDeleteHilary
Second Grade is Out of This World
I love A-Z they are the best! I used to live in Texas. It's such a great place!
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