5 Delightful Reasons to Hold One-to-One Student Reading Conferences

Reading with students is such an important part of teaching. We have such limited time during the day so we have to do what is super important. So, today I am giving you some reasons to try to fit one-to-one student reading conferences into your day!

Building Relationships with Students
Getting to Know Your Students as Readers
Reading Goal Setting
Plan Instruction
Individual Student Reading Instruction

Reason #1: Building Relationships with Students

Most teachers that I know got into teaching because they love kids. We love the “lightbulb moment” when something clicks for our students. We love getting to know them and their likes and dislikes, their quirks, and how they learn the best. Unfortunately these days we are always so busy, that sometimes these relationships get put aside in order to cover the curriculum. Reading with students in an individual reading conferece is a great way to build relationships with your students. I always try to spend a moment or two asking them about something that is going on with them personally.

#2: Getting to Know Your Students as Readers

Once I have done a little chit-chatting, the next step in my student reading conferences is to have your students read to you. This can be from a book that they have chosen independantly, somthing that you provide for them, a decodable reader, etc. Listening to a student read can give you valuable information about what they are already doing well and what they need more help with. This is the point that you stop and jot a few notes (antecdotal records) for yourself. This information will come in handy for instructional purposes, parent conferences, RTI ect.

Your records don’t have to be anything super fancy either. I like to use a sheet of labels that I date and jot down my notes then stick it later into my reading conference notebook. These notes are super valuable when it comes to report cards and parent teacher conferences! They are also super helpful for other reasons as well! Keep reading!

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#3 Reading Goal Setting

During your reading conferences with students is a great time to help your students set reading goals! I use my observations and reading conference notes to help my students set reading goals. Reading Goals can be anything from “Voracious Reading” to “Making Mental Images”. They should be in direct relationship with something that the student is working on during reading.

These Reading Goal Bookmarks that I use with my students to help them track their reading goals. They have a checklist on the front so the kiddos can see what they are already doing well, and what they need to work on to achieve their reading goal. The back of the bookmark has a mini-anchor chart to help the students remember what their reading goal is, and what they are working towards!

#4 Student Reading Conferences Help You Plan Instruction

Listening to your student read, then jotting down notes can also help you with your lesson plans! When you discover that 6 of your students are struggling with phonemic awareness, then you know that you will need to do some small group instruction on phonemic awareness.

When you discover several students are having trouble with comprehension, then you know that you will need to plan some reading comprehension lessons. If everyone is doing amazing with CVCe words, then you know that you can move on! It’s a great way to keep an eye on what your students can and cannot do that can’t always be obvious through their written class work.

#5 Individual Student Reading Instruction

Sometimes during reading conferences with students you may discover that one student is struggling with a skill that the others have mastered and moved on from. Individual student reading conferences are a great time to do some individual instruction.

Sometimes you have those super high fliers in your room that need a little extra attention as well. One to one reading conferences are a great way to help your higher fliers with a little extra challenge, some higher order thinking questions, or discussing a book that they are reading that your other students are not.

Reading conferences with students are a FANTASTIC way to differentiate and individualize instruction!

Thank you so much for stopping by today! If you love the idea of student reading conferences, I have a great little student reading conference template for you! Sign up here to get yours!