what to do with the reading series?

[E Jean]

Does anyone have advice on how to integrate the basal reading series into the 1st grade classroom? How do you still use the reading series (because you have too) while also balancing it with other activities that will help your students? I am having touble trying to figure out the balance of this? I am the only K teacher and the only 1st grade teacher at my school. Any suggestions?

 

[vateacher]

We have a balanced literacy approach in the classroom in our school so we use the basal as a supplement. The book itself is used in the listening center sometimes, as well as an independent reader. The charts and all those other items that come with the basal are integrated into shared reading/whole group activities whenever posible. We try to use the basal since our school system purchased them but we also don't limit ourselves to it.

 

[LisaC1st]

Basal Reading Series

I too use the basal reader as a supplement. But because our benchmark tests (4 times/year) use words and vocabulary from the basals, I feel that I have to make sure that my students are familiar with the stories. So I use the basals for Choral Reading. First everyone reads the page, then the girls, then the boys, then the blue group, etc. as many times as needed for fluency. I also ask who can read it the loudest...who can read it louder than that! etc. My students love to do the "loud reading"!

 

[E Jean]

Thank you so much for all of your helpful advice. It is nice hearing what other teachers do with this resource. Thanks.