What is Integrated Reading?

What is Integrated Reading?

Classworks Integrated Reading activities were created for on grade level instruction to promote deep comprehension and analysis of texts. They help students gain experience with grade level texts and skills using interaction and engagement. These activities are great for teachers to use for whole class or small group standards-based instruction.
These reading activities are offered in addition to Classworks other reading instruction. They can be found under the Instruction tab within Classworks or by selecting Integrated Reading Instruction when searching for content.


Uses

There are several ways to use these passages within the classroom. Below is a list of some best practices for implementing the activities: 

  • Close Reads: Using these high-quality texts along with the interactive tools within the passages makes them perfect for close reads. Teachers and students can access the reading passages over multiple occasions to cover different standards and build meaning on each passage provided. 

  • Modeling: Teachers have the ability to model expectations, strategies, and tips for promoting reading comprehension. Showing students how to look back through a text and make notes can help better prepare students for online assessments and give them a clearer understanding of digital texts. 

  • Student Interaction: Teachers can facilitate using interactive whiteboards while students use their individual devices (computers or tablets) to read and interact with the text and answer questions. 

  • On grade level instruction: These activities provide all students with the on grade level exposure to complex text needed to meet new standards and expectations. 

  • Weekly practice: Teachers can spend time each week completing one activity that will be in-depth, intensive, and provide high engagement amongst their students. This may occur whole class or in small groups. 

  • Independent practice: After teaching strategies for comprehending the digital text as well as utilizing the tools for interaction, teachers can assign passages at the student's reading level for independent practice. 

Details

The integrated reading activities specifically meet the rigorous demands of the new reading standards in grades 1-8.

Passages

  • Each passage is leveled by Lexile and Flesch-Kincaid level. 

  • Variety of Literature texts (Folktales, fables, myths, poetry, historical fiction, and fantasy) 

  • 60% of the passages in each grade are Informational texts (History/social studies, science, and technical)

  • Paired passages for students in grades 2-8 gives them the ability to compare, contrast, and make connections across texts.

Questions

  • Each activity includes several multiple-choice items and one open-ended item. 

  • 36 activities per grade level 

  • Five to eight questions per activity for grades 1-3 

  • Seven to ten questions per activity for grades 4-8 

  • Questions focus on higher order thinking and the important points of the passage, not on recalling details or literal meanings. Questions engage students in reading closely, and analyzing the challenging portions of the text. 

  • Open-ended questions can be answered with text and/or a drawing. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Is audio available? 

A. Audio is available for the passages and passage titles. By default, Classworks enables this feature for all students. Teachers can elect to turn the audio off for individual students. There is currently no audio for the questions or answer choices. 

Q. Will these activities be assigned in a student's individualized learning path (ILP) or be in state standards assignments? 

A. No. These reading activities are a resource to support the teacher with reading instruction in the classroom by providing complex text and text dependent questions. Teachers can manually assign activities that correspond to a student's reading level for independent practice, if desired. 

Q: Are the passages offered at different Lexile levels to meet the needs of struggling or excelling readers?

A: Integrated Reading was designed to support students as they develop their close reading skills using complex texts. While the teacher can offer differentiation through audio tools, the passages are all developed to give students access to high interest complex texts for the Lexile range at each grade.

Close Readers Anchor Chart

Below is a link to a PDF Close Readers Anchor Chart that students can reference while working on their Integrated Reading Lessons!


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