Guided reading for Y5 - teachers/LSA's please help...

[halfapoundoftreacle]

I have an interview for a job as a LSA next week at a school I have never worked in before. I've volunteered with Y5 children before now but I am having a confidence crisis!

The start of the interview process will be me sitting with a small group of Y5 children of 'mixed ability'. I am to use a text of my choice but 'high visual and low text'.

I was thinking of reading some descriptive text to them (Roald Dahl's BFG is my first thought) and then asking them to write down questions about the characters or setting. Then using these questions in a free forum to discuss the answers.

It's just the 'high visual low text' thing that's thrown me and put me off this idea.

When I think if high visual books I think of Julia Donaldson and more young reading books. Would that be suitable still? Oh Man! I'm panicking...

Have you thought of reading a poem instead. The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes is printed as a book see here Amazon
I got it from the library. Yr 5 loved it, there is love interest for the girls and the boys loved the action (terribly sexist but true)and lots to discuss.
I would avoid getting them to write anything-keep it fairly lively.
That was just the top of my head-I will have a think and get back.
Good luck.

If you look at my link you can see inside the book and the language is fantastic 'the wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees' etc.

Your local library may have a big book section. Ask librarians too. They're usually really helpful.

If you google guided reading yr 5 you'll come across suggestions for texts.

I'd avoid writing Q's. It's reading, not writing. Have some Q's ready thought out though.

A poem sounds great - loads of potential there.
You could blank out some words and get them to guess what might be there. Get them to imagine what text is about from pictures before seeing whole text too?

Just off top of my head. Got to go to a meeting now. Good luck.

You would need to check with the school that they weren't using 'the Highwayman' for literacy. WowOoo has the best suggestion-look in local library. I think a poem is good as not much time.

Agree with the poem idea, but not the Highwayman because it is likely to be used/have been used in year 5 and there is almost too much to it for a self contained one off GR session. I also wouldn't consider it 'low text'

i'm going to ponder and add my suggestions once I've put the tea on

Just confirming that my yr5 DD studied The Highwayman last half-term!

Hiawatha
The Owl and the Pussycat

both available in picture book versions

Thanks guys. I think the poem idea is a good idea. I'm looking for some now...

You may well have to use just part of a poem but maybe safer to steer clear of the Highwayman-a shame as it captures imaginations.

I like the listeners Walter de la mare but I can't think of a highly visual version.

A book that I used with year5 successfully was 'How to Live Forever' which is a magical story about a library that comes to life at night and a young boy's quest to find a book that has been missing for 200 years. see here Amazon read reviews.Short story and lovely pictures.

Am amazingly visual book isFalling angels

A glorious, richly illustrated book with a deceptively simple plot of a girl who can fly. Lots of opportunities to discuss how the story could be extended, to predict where the author is going with it and how it will end, to discuss the relationship between text & illustration.

OOPs, just seen that piccesmoon has suggested a book by the same author/illustrator. He must be good

OOH OOH OOH

John Burningham 'The Tunnel' or 'Voices in the park'

Voices in the park, is the same simple morning spent at the park told from 4 different POV great for narrative voice discussions and is there ever a 'truth' in first person narration. Am sure lots of teachers use it so you would probably find lots on online resources for it from which you could magpie ideas.

The Lost Happy Endings Carol Duffy

Spooky, DD has also studied "how to live forever" this year....

Perhaps Falling Angels would be safer-I don't know it- but Colin Thompson is good. Or how about something with a Christmas and/or snow theme?

Must be a good school lovecheese

How about 'The Magic Box' by Kit Wright. They might have studied it, but loads of fantastic imagery to discuss.

How about The Wolves in the Walls?

oh yes Mrz The Lost Happy Endings is very good too.

OOh wolves in the wall is oddly terrifying but high on the visual imagery though

Hiya
Have located the Secret Garden by Colin Thompson and I quite enjoyed that for talking about what kind of home life the boys has and why the garden is so attractive to him. Going to go with that. The illustrations are wonderful, I must say and it struck me as thought provoking so lets hope i can make it a good session.

Interview on Tuesday and meant to study this today but ended up in hospital with DS2 as he had 7 stitches in his forehead under general anaesthetic. Wow, you just can't plan much when you have kids, hey?

How did he do that? I think part of having DCs is doing stints in A & E!
Do let us know how you get on.

at your kind comment piscesmoon. I don't think any school is ever perfect, please anyone correct me if I am wrong!, but my DDs local bog-standard state primary seems to be going from strength-to-strength and my Dcs and I are happy, and the literacy syllabus so far this year has been great for both of them in yr5 and yr2. I should have posted on the "Positive things to say about my childrens' school" thread a while ago but didn't get round to it.

As you were...