You might already be familiar with CommonLit.org: A free literacy program which includes over 2,000 English/Spanish reading lessons for grades 3–12 that has been found to help students make dramatic academic gains. The program has become a go-to resource for English, Science, and Social Studies teachers who are looking for high-quality poems, short stories, and informational texts.
If you’re an instructional leader at a DC middle or high school who is looking to support students who are reading below grade level, CommonLit is now offering select schools the opportunity to participate in a Guided Reading pilot program under a 3rd Party SOAR grant through OSSE. Under this grant, CommonLit will provide partner schools with early access to our new Guided Reading Sets.
CommonLit’s Guided Reading Sets
CommonLit’s Guided Reading Sets are designed to be extremely easy-to-use and flexible for implementation in many support settings including small group instruction, inclusion settings, 1:1 tutoring, or after-school. CommonLit Guided Reading Sets provide students with the opportunity to learn new vocabulary words, build foundational reading skills, and discuss texts with their peers.
Here is the basic structure of a Guided Reading Set:
Each set begins with vocabulary activities, a best practice that has been shown to help struggling readers build language. These activities explicitly teach 10–15 Tier 2 vocabulary words that students will see reinforced in upcoming texts, lessons, and discussions.
For reading lessons, CommonLit also provides short slide decks to introduce key background information or concepts. These easy-to-use and editable Google slide decks help hook students prior to reading, foster deeper engagement, and frame the skill that will be taught during the lesson.
Each Guided Reading Set includes 4–6 “high-low” reading passages that are specially curated to engage middle and high school students who are reading below grade level. For example, a 9th grade “high-low” text will contain high-interest content that is appropriate for a high school student, but will be written at a reading level that is several years lower than 9th grade. Each reading passage within the set also includes a ready-to-use lesson plan that includes a clear skills focus and scripted during-reading questions — all prepared in an easy-to-use format. As students read, in-text questions encourage students to read carefully, write about what they’ve just read, and discuss ideas with their teacher and classmates.
In addition to supporting struggling readers, CommonLit is also committed to ensuring the success of English Language Learners. As such, CommonLit is preparing to provide a translated version of the Guided Reading sets in Spanish.
CommonLit currently offers nearly 500 Spanish-language lessons.
Join Us: Get Early Access to CommonLit’s NEW Guided Reading Sets
Our new guided reading sets will be specifically designed to support struggling readers and ELLs in middle and high school. Get in touch to take advantage of this incredible opportunity! In the coming weeks, we will select schools in DC to support in the 2020–21 and 2021–22 school years under a 3rd Party SOAR grant. Participating schools will get access to all unit materials, optional assessments, and training support from the CommonLit’s seasoned instructional coaches.
To learn more about how you can gain early access to these resources, contact CommonLit’s Director of Instruction Kara Pacos at Kara@CommonLit.org.
