Setting Up Your Workspace
for the Masters Edition
You can set up a Read Naturally ME program in a variety of settings. Here are some ideas about where and how you might set up a work area.
| Resource Room | Students come to a resource room to work with a teacher on reading. Part of the instruction includes fluency improvement. You can set up the necessary materials permanently or as the students come to class. |
| Reading Lab | The Read Naturally materials are set up in a permanent lab. Students leave their classroom to work on reading fluency with a teacher, educational assistant, or volunteer. The lab may be in the media center, an empty classroom, or other adequate space. |
| Classroom | The classroom teacher sets up a Read Naturally station in the classroom. While most students in the room read quietly, write in journals, or work on projects independently, a few students improve their fluency by working at the reading station. |
| Cart | A collaborative support teacher brings the necessary materials for a Read Naturally station into a classroom on a cart. Students help set up the reading station using materials from the cart, and they help put the materials back on the cart after class. The collaborative teacher then brings the Read Naturally station into another classroom. |
| Extended Day | Teachers, parents, community education staff, or other volunteers can offer a Read Naturally class before or after school. The instructor(s) can set up the station prior to class and take it down after class. |
Materials You Need for the Masters Edition
For Read Naturally programs that use the Masters Edition, the following materials are required or recommended:
Stories  |
Each student should begin his/her level with 12 of the stories from that level. Students enjoy choosing the order in which they read the stories. Giving each student his/her own copy of the stories allows the students to work with the story by underlining difficult words, marking reading rates, and writing answers. It also allows students to keep their copies of the stories. | ||||||||||||||||
Each student needs a folder to keep copies of the stories, graphs,
a reading guide, etc. You can use the inside pocket of the folder
to keep a running record of the changes to the student's reading
levels and goals and to record comments and observations about the
changes. |
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Reading Guides  |
Some students find reading guides help them as they read. The
guides help the students' eyes track across the line. |
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Timers  |
You will use timers to time students for the final reading and,
if you choose, the cold reading as well. Timers must have an auditory
signal so students do not need to watch for the minute to end. |
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Red and Green Pouches  |
The red and green pouches are vinyl pouches that hold the students'
reading guides and graphing pencils to keep them organized. The
pouches have a green side and a red side. Students turn the green
side up when they are working and do not need assistance (i.e.,
the teacher can "go"). They turn the red side up to signal
that they are ready to pass a story (i.e., the teacher should "stop"). Order red/green pouches on the ME accessories page |
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Graphs  |
Students use bar graphs to monitor their progress on each story. The graphs help them see how much they improve between their cold and final timings. It also helps them see how their cold timings improve over time. | ||||||||||||||||
Crayons or Colored Pencils  |
Students use crayons and/or colored pencils to mark the cold and
final timing rates on the bar graphs. Although you can use any colors,
we recommend using blue for the cold timing and red for the final
(hot) timing. Order graphing pencils on the ME accessories page |
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Cassettes or Audio CDs  |
Each Read Naturally level includes 12 cassette tapes or audio CDs. Each cassette tape or audio CD has two stories. The cassette tapes have one story per side, and each of the audio CDs has eight tracks—four tracks for the first story and four tracks for the second story. The stories are recorded at three different speeds, each recording slightly faster than the previous one. | ||||||||||||||||
Cassette Players or Audio
CD Players  |
Each student needs access to a cassette or audio CD player and
needs to be able to work on this equipment alone. Students need
this equipment during the read along step. Order cassete & CD players on the ME accessories page |
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Headphones  |
Headphones are very important for ensuring that students hear
the recording of the story clearly. Headphones can also be used
to reduce the sounds of the other students reading along. (Note
that headphones are included with our audio CD players but not with
our cassette players.) Order headphones on the ME accessories page |
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Answer Keys  |
The blackline masters for each level include the answers to the quiz questions. You should make copies of the answer keys available to students in a central location. To help students quickly locate the answer keys they need, you can color-code them to match the colors of the levels. | ||||||||||||||||
Posters  |
You can hang a poster that lists the Read Naturally steps in your room. If students have difficulty
remembering the process, they can refer to the poster after they
complete each step. Order posters on the ME accessories page |
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Super Reader Awards  |
You can use these awards to keep parents involved in the learning process. After a student passes 12 stories in a level, staple the stories together with a Super Reader award as a cover letter. The student should take the booklet of stories home, read and discuss the stories with his/her parents, and return the tear-off portion of the award signed by the parent. | ||||||||||||||||
| Power Sources | You will need a power source for each cassette or audio CD player in use. Power strips and extension cords work fine but can be cumbersome. Another option is to use regular or rechargeable batteries. | ||||||||||||||||
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