Guided Reading Lesson Modification: Culturally Responsive Teaching

Priyanka Prasad

ECI535 Culturally Responsive Pedagogy

Professor Timothy Hartigan

Medaille College

August 2021
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Guided Reading Lesson Modification: Culturally Responsive Teaching

Culturally responsive teaching is more than just a 21st century buzz word for teacher

resumes. It is multidimensional, empowering, comprehensive, inclusive and transformative (Gay,

2010). Culturally responsive teaching is a research-based approach to teaching, which connects

students’ cultures, languages and life experiences to what they learn in school (The Education

Team, n.d.). By promoting a sense of safety and belonging, strengthening student racial and

ethnic identities, cultivating critical thinking, motivating and engaging students, CRT is

fundamental (Muñiz, 2019). When considering our own lesson planning, it is imperative we use

culturally responsive pedagogy to create lessons to meet our diverse students’ needs and adhere

to the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA). As such, this report examines the modification of a

grade 3 literacy lesson, on guided reading groups and literacy centers, to be culturally responsive

to a sample group of 32 students.

Originally, the guided reading lesson plan focused on a generic grade 3 classroom with

some ELL students and used the leveled readers A-Z platform to place students into reading

groups. Initially, the three reading groups included at grade level, slightly higher and slightly

below, and three literacy centers. The literacy centers focused on phonics, comprehension and

vocabulary. Several changes have been made to the original lesson plan to meet the diverse

classroom assigned. These changes include choice of books, changing the level of books,

modifications in teaching tools, literacy center activities, and the cumulative assignment. This

written report will examine the changes made and the rationale behind each modification.

To begin, the books for the guided reading groups have been changed, from three

focusing solely on African American leaders to more culturally responsive choices reflecting the
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classroom diversity. The five books include: (1) Jazz Greats, (2) Martin Luther King Jr., (3)

Harriet Tubman, (4) Code Talkers, and (5) World Traveller Ibn Battuta. All of the book choices

are non-fiction and provide students an opportunity to engage in social studies learning as well as

literacy, making it an opportunity to build a sense of community, as per DASA guidelines.

The first three books focus on African American leaders in a positive light, building

awareness for the non-African American students, while also allowing the African American

students to see the wonderful contributions from people of their ethnic identities. While Martin

Luther King Jr. remains a monumental leader, Harriet Tubman is also that, but in a female role

which is important for our female students in the classroom. Next, Jazz Greats is chosen as it

focuses on artistic contributions from African American people. Code Talkers is a book that

examines Navajo peoples and the important contributions they made to the American Military,

which has been chosen specifically because of the Indigenous population in the class, as well as

students with parents in the military. Garakani’s study (2014) reveals that shifting Indigenous

study on resilience and focusing on the successes, rather than a deficit approach is key. Having a

book like this provides an opportunity for Indigenous students to see people from their culture in

an empowering light. Lastly, World Traveller Ibn Battuta has been chosen to reflect global

contributions for our Muslim and Yemen students, as Ibn Battuta was a Muslim world explorer.

Too often, students are taught only of Eurocentric history, explorers and contributions. However,

as our students are diverse, our material should reflect this. By choosing these books, I am not

only being culturally sensitive and maximizing learning opportunities for our students, but I am

also highlighting positive perspectives and considering the diversity of our students. For my

student who is emotionally disturbed, I will make sure the text is first introduced to her with her

counsellor, as the topics are heavy and emotional. In choosing books that showcase the different
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classroom heritages in a positive light, I am also reshaping the curriculum to build acceptance

and empowerment of our students, which are components of the DASA guidelines.

Next, the levels of the reading groups also substantially changed as the needs of the

learners in the classroom changed. This classroom now consists of 32 students, in which 20

students are 1-2 years behind, 7 students are 3-4 years below grade level and 2 students are more

than 5 years below. As such, the new levels reflect this. Initially the leveled reader groups were

for levels Q, R and S, whereas now they are M, P, P, Q and S. There are 2 level P groups to

provide small-group instruction. While the leveled books are appropriate for individualized

student needs, they are still challenging and at students’ cognitive levels, which is important

(Drost, 2019). This also holds students to high expectations as required by DASA guidelines.

Along with the change in leveled books, there has also been a modification of the

teaching strategies and accommodations. This includes the addition of graphic organizers,

increased time to complete work, more group/pair work, placemat activity, access to a thesaurus,

increased wait times and sentence frames. According to the SIOP Model (Echevarria et al.,

2012), these are all strategies that will serve as beneficial to our ELL students. This change

reflects the needs of the ELL students as well as students who are below grade level. In Shahbazi

et al. 's article (2020), a student interviewed says, “It is very embarrassing when I do not know

the word. So, I have to call on somebody to help me,” (Shahbazi et al., 2020, p.39). Thus, by

providing access to a thesaurus and increasing both the wait time when asking students questions

and when completing work, students can feel less embarrassed and a greater sense of

achievement. In addition, graphic organizers and placemat activities are active teaching methods

because students are actively engaged while using higher order thinking in Bloom’s Taxonomy

such as applying and analyzing. This is a part of the requirements in DASA’s NYS Code of
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Ethics - responsibilities for educators, in that we must promote growth in all students and foster

analytical, synthesizing and evaluative skills (DASA, 2013). Lastly, I will also be employing a

great deal of scaffolding within the lesson, from teaching vocabulary to reciting the text itself.

Scaffolding is a best practice used to help struggling learners (Joseph, 2002). In terms of reading

the text, I will begin on the continuum by first starting with echo reading and slowly working

students up to whisper reading in the small group. For vocabulary, I will first introduce important

vocabulary to them, then facilitate a group discussion, in which I act as a facilitator and students

engage in discussion and pair work. By focusing on vocabulary, students engage with words in a

meaningful way and continue to develop a deeper understanding of the text.

Specifically for the student with an auditory processing disorder, there will be further

strategies put into place. This includes a lesson outline with highlighted text, the use of an FM

Transmitter device and preferential seating in close proximity to me. An auditory processing

disorder makes it challenging for students to process and make meaning of sounds (Gavin,

2014). By providing a breakdown of the lesson and using both a hearing system and a seating

system, I will be providing my student with APD tools to be successful in her learning. In this

way, I am following section II of DASA Principles, in that it is an inclusive classroom with

sensitivity to the experiences of specific student populations.

Along with strategies, the specific literacy centers too have been modified for this

assignment. Initially, there were 3 literacy centers, one of which was a fun 2-player baseball

digraph game focusing on phonics, next a reading comprehension board game for the class novel

“Wonder” and finally a literacy center that was a game of synonym dominoes, with a focus on

vocabulary. All centers were interactive and engaging, allowing for flexible space. The 2-player

baseball digraph game will now be extended by having students play the game and record their
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words into their personal dictionaries. I will also provide students with a checklist to keep track

of which words they were successful with. By doing this, I am holding students accountable

while also providing them with student-controlled discourse required by DASA. The second

center will continue to be an interactive board game for the class novel “Wonder”. However, the

major change made to this includes heterogeneous grouping of students and access to technology

for each student. To maximize student success at this center, I will ensure the groups for this

activity are heterogenous so that the gifted student has an opportunity to take on a leadership

role, while the struggling students have someone they can ask questions to. As well, because this

activity requires technology, and most students do not have access to technology at home, this is

a great opportunity for students to engage with technology and develop these skills. For the final

activity, students will be completing two sets of domino decks. The first one will be the

synonyms activity, and the second one will be a definitions activity, and both will require

students to capture the final product by taking a picture using a device. The change to this

activity has been made to provide an extension activity for students to continue to work on their

vocabulary, and also engage with technology.

The final piece changed in this lesson segment will be the cumulative assignment.

Originally, after students completed their guided reading book, they would be doing oral group

presentations, at the end of the unit. However, now, some additions will be made including: guest

speaker/letter, and a carousel activity using the main concepts of racism, segregation and

empowerment. By promoting engagement using a carousel activity, I am providing opportunities

for students to make connections, which are guiding principles in DASA. I would try to invite

one of the two families who have a parent deployed currently, to come talk about the experiences

of the military or ask the parent to write us a letter or do a call. In doing this, I am building
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positive perspectives of our families and parents, while also enhancing student experiences

through guest speakers and engaging ways to tie in reading material with real-life connections.

As illustrated through the modifications made to this lesson plan, culturally responsive

teaching has been fully incorporated to the original grade 3 guided reading lesson. Through the

modification process, the importance of being culturally responsive to the needs of the classroom

and students became evident. In this modified lesson, I am also adhering to DASA principles by

creating an inclusive classroom by implementing strategies for all students, using a restorative

and progressive approach by incorporating diverse books reflecting the classroom demographics,

and including family and parent engagement, through the guest speakers. Through this lesson

modification, I have been able to successfully adhere to my responsibilities as an educator, as per

DASA’s guidelines, in that I am following all of the New York State Code of Ethics

requirements. By creating these changes and providing meaningful learning opportunities for our

students, we are helping our students become empowered learners of the 21st century, while fully

connecting with the material taught in class and developing a greater sense of their own

identities.

References

Drost, B. (2019). Strategies to support learners who are below grade level. New Education

Association.

https://www.nea.org/professional-excellence/student-engagement/tools-tips/strategies-su

pport-learners-who-are-below

Echevarria, J., Vogt, M.E., Short, D.J. Mary Ellen Vogt and Deborah J. Short. (2012). Making

content comprehensible for English language learners, The SIOP model. Allyn & Bacon,

Incorporated.
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Garakani, T. (2014). Young people have a lot to say … with trust, time, and tools: The voices of

Inuit youth in Nunavik. Canadian Journal of Education / Revue Canadienne De

L'éducation, 37(1), 233-257. http://www.jstor.org/stable/canajeducrevucan.37.1.233

Gavin, M.L. (2014). Auditory Processing Disorder (Factsheet for Schools). Kids Health.

https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/apd-factsheet.html

Gay, G. (2010). Culturally responsive teaching: theory, research, and practice. Teachers

College.

Joseph, L. (2002). Best Practices in Planning Interventions for Students with Reading Problems.

Reading Rockets.

https://www.readingrockets.org/article/best-practices-planning-interventions-students-rea

ding-problems

Muñiz, J. (2019). 5 Ways Culturally Responsive Teaching Benefits Learners. New America.

https://www.newamerica.org/education-policy/edcentral/5-ways-culturally-responsive-tea

ching-benefits-learners/

New York State of Education Department. (2013). The New York State dignity for all students

Act. (Dignity Act): A resource and promising practices guide for school administrators

and faculty. New York State of Education.

Shahbazi, S., Palazzolo, A., & Salinitri, G. (2020). Breaking silence: The voices of Syrian

refugee children in the Canadian classroom. Journal of Global Education and Research,

4(1), 33-47. https://www.doi.org/10.5038/2577-509X.4.1.1025

The Education Team. (n.d.). What is culturally responsive teaching? Understood.

https://www.understood.org/articles/en/what-is-culturally-responsive-teaching