Focus Lessons Overview
What Are Focus Lessons?
Focus lessons are explicit whole-class lessons in which students are taught one reading skill or strategy, literary element, or workshop management routine. The teacher states the teaching point directly, explains and models it, and then observes and guides as students “give it a try” for a brief time.
Focus lessons are explicit whole-class lessons in which students are taught one reading skill or strategy, literary element, or workshop management routine. The teacher states the teaching point directly, explains and models it, and then observes and guides as students “give it a try” for a brief time.
What Is Essential About Focus Lessons?
Assessment Drives Instruction
Teachers perform ongoing assessment and use the data to ensure that their focus lessons respond to student needs.
Explicit Modeling
During focus lessons, teachers demonstrate how to use reading strategies, to recognize and appreciate elements of an author’s craft, and to follow management procedures. Teachers “show and tell” exactly what they want students to do when reading.
Gradual Release of Responsibility
Teachers model strategies and procedures and then invite students to practice with teacher guidance. At the end of the lesson, students are reminded to use this new knowledge when applicable to their independent reading.
Focus
Isolating and narrowing in on one explicit teaching point ensures that students learn a strategy or concept that will make them better readers.
Application and Integration
Once students understand a specific strategy, the teacher must model how to use this strategy in combination with already known strategies. Students must see each individual strategy as part of a repertoire of strategies that they can access as needed and use in tandem to understand what they are reading.
Trajectory
Focus lessons build upon each other. Over time, the lessons help students become more independent and apply the strategies or knowledge in more sophisticated ways.
Assessment Drives Instruction
Teachers perform ongoing assessment and use the data to ensure that their focus lessons respond to student needs.
Explicit Modeling
During focus lessons, teachers demonstrate how to use reading strategies, to recognize and appreciate elements of an author’s craft, and to follow management procedures. Teachers “show and tell” exactly what they want students to do when reading.
Gradual Release of Responsibility
Teachers model strategies and procedures and then invite students to practice with teacher guidance. At the end of the lesson, students are reminded to use this new knowledge when applicable to their independent reading.
Focus
Isolating and narrowing in on one explicit teaching point ensures that students learn a strategy or concept that will make them better readers.
Application and Integration
Once students understand a specific strategy, the teacher must model how to use this strategy in combination with already known strategies. Students must see each individual strategy as part of a repertoire of strategies that they can access as needed and use in tandem to understand what they are reading.
Trajectory
Focus lessons build upon each other. Over time, the lessons help students become more independent and apply the strategies or knowledge in more sophisticated ways.
