K–2
Reading lessons in the Being a Reader (K–2) program include Individualized Daily Reading (IDR), a daily time when students read texts at their appropriate reading levels independently. Lessons provide detailed support for setting up IDR, establishing procedures for conferring, and introducing self-monitoring strategies that the students can use to check their comprehension.
During IDR, the teacher confers with individual students about their reading. This allows teachers to assess each student’s comprehension and it provides an opportunity to support struggling students, encourage students to read more complex texts, and identify areas of growth. Teachers can use the provided questions, forms, and suggestions to support readers; gather information about each student; and make informed instructional decisions for individual students, small groups, or the whole class.
IDR is different from the Independent Reading that happens during Independent Work Rotations in K–2. Use caution in replacing IDR completely with independent reading. Normally during independent work teachers are busy working with small groups, making them unavailable to confer with students. If you wish to use independent reading instead of IDR, consider sacrificing a few small-group slots each week for individual conferences.
3–5
To provide students with sufficient time to read independently and to employ the comprehension strategies they have learned in whole-class instruction, the Being a Reader (3–5) program also includes Individualized Daily Reading (IDR) time. This is a time during which the students can participate in different activities (independent reading or small-group reading) as their reading and social skills develop or as needs are identified.
IDR Lessons provide detailed support for setting up IDR time, establishing procedures for conferring, and introducing self-monitoring strategies that the students can use to check their comprehension. While Individualized Daily Reading is not a separate strand in the program, it is an important part of the curriculum.
Note that during IDR time in Grades 3–5, students engage in one of two activities:
- Independent Reading with Conferring
- Small-Group Reading
Once you have launched independent reading and conferring, you will begin meeting with students in small groups, which will take place during IDR time. Even as you incorporate small group, you will continue to have students who are reading independently and conferring one-on-one with you.