This document provides a rubric for evaluating implementation of a reading workshop. It includes goals and descriptors for evaluating materials, management, grouping, lesson management, text selection, text introduction, teaching strategies, and more. The rubric ranges from "tasks not started" to "gold standard" implementation. For each area, it provides observable behaviors and outcomes to aim for at different stages, from just getting started to exemplary practice, to help teachers develop and strengthen their reading workshop.

1. Jennifer Evans 2015 St. Clair County RESA
Reading Workshop Implementation Guide
Tasks Not Started
Unacceptable
In Progress
Approaching
Acceptable
Achieved
Acceptable
Achieved with Fidelity
Gold Standard
Materials:
My goal is to have all necessary
materials organized and
accessible for use during the
lesson.
My books and other
materials are at a
beginning point in terms
of acquisition and
organization.
I have a leveled collection
of books, but it is minimal
and not adequate for the
needs of my class. I have
some other materials, but
they are not yet organized.
I know about keeping
reader’s notebooks, but I
am not using them yet.
I have a leveled set of
books and I am using it. I
have an easel, white board,
etc. and using them. I am
using reader’s notebooks
and keeping records.
A leveled, well-organized
collection of books exists and is
being used. I have a meeting
area and an area for guided
reading with easel, white board,
etc. as well as relevant center
activities established. My
students know how to use
notebooks and reading logs. I
have a well-organized, usable
record keeping system that
guides instruction.
Management:
 My goal is to highly engage
students in productive
reading activities while I
am working with groups.
 My goal is to highly engage
students in productive
reading activities while I
am conferring with
individuals.
 My goal is to create a
positive literacy
environment.
 My goal is to develop
appropriate routines and
procedures.
I have not yet established
a system for independent
reading; students need a
great deal of attention and
I cannot work productively
with small groups.
Students continually
interrupt my work with
other students.
I have begun to teach
students how to engage in
silent independent reading
and build stamina, but the
routines and procedures
are not yet established. I
am beginning to establish
a schedule that will allow
for independent, relevant
work while I teach small
groups and work with
individuals. Students at
times still interrupt. I am
beginning to teach mini-
lessons focusing on
independent reading.
My system for independent
reading is well established
and I am conferring with
individuals. Students are
using reader’s notebooks
and logs, and I am working
with guided reading/skill
groups on a regular basis.
Routines and procedures
are established and
students are able to work
independently most of the
time, not interrupt, and be
successful with relevant
activities.
My classroom is well managed
during the entire reading block.
Routines and procedures are
clearly established. Students are
engaged in silent independent
reading or responding in their
notebooks. Relevant activities
are completed and learning is
transferred. Students are able to
work completely independently
while I work with regular guided
reading/skill groups and confer
with individuals.

2. Jennifer Evans 2015 St. Clair County RESA
Grouping:
 My goal is to form small
groups of students who are
similar in their
development of a reading
process and read at the
same level of text so that I
can teach them in guided
reading.
 I also use data to identify
particular needs and
interests for focused guided
reading or skill groups.
I am just beginning to
observe students’ reading
behaviors and to think
about forming groups
based on levels of text; I
have not identified other
ways that I use to group
students. Usually I teach
the whole class.
I have formed and met
with some
needs/interest/skill based
groups when I notice that
there is something that
students need to learn or I
look at assessment data. I
know how to apply some
assessment measures and
have tentatively formed
some level-based groups.
I continue to meet with
needs/interest/skill based
groups on a regular basis,
using relevant data to
determine groupings. I
have established level-
based groups and am
keeping regular records of
reading behaviors. I meet
with groups daily.
Every student in my class is
served with small group
instruction. Groups meet
regularly, and strategies/skills
taught are based on assessment
data (formative or summative).
Appropriate texts are selected to
meet the needs of the students.
Learning transfers to other
situations.
Lesson Management:
 My goal is to provide fast-
paced, lively engaging
lessons with all
components working
together effectively.
 My goal is to ensure
learning objectives are
evident to the students.
 My goal is provide timely,
relevant, positive feedback
to all students.
 My goal is to provide
students with ample
opportunities to practice.
 My goal is to provide
students with visual aids to
help scaffold instruction.
I have not yet
implemented any of the
components of reading
workshop including:
Minilesson (connecting,
teaching, engaging,
linking, sharing), guided
reading lesson (Before –
Teacher introduces text,
vocab., sets purpose or
teaching point, etc.
During – teacher listens as
students read
independently recording
observations and using
formative assessments to
guide instruction.
After – Teacher
restates/reinforces/links
today’s learning to
ongoing work/learning /
I have begun to introduce
texts to students and to
ask them to read
independently. I am
learning about the
components of reading
workshop including:
Minilesson (connecting,
teaching, engaging,
linking, sharing), guided
reading lesson (Before –
Teacher introduces text,
vocab., sets purpose or
teaching point, etc.
During – teacher listens as
students read
independently recording
observations and using
formative assessments to
guide instruction.
After – Teacher
I can teach minilessons and
provide relevant activities
for students to do as I break
into guided reading/skill
groups. I am doing the
components of reading
workshop including:
Minilesson (connecting,
teaching, engaging, linking,
sharing), guided reading
lesson (Before – Teacher
introduces text, vocab., sets
purpose or teaching point,
etc.
During – teacher listens as
students read
independently recording
observations and using
formative assessments to
guide instruction.
After – Teacher
My lesson is well-timed,
smoothly managed and includes
appropriate lessons. Center
activities are relevant and at
appropriate levels. I successfully
address all components of a
reading workshop including:
Minilesson (connecting, teaching,
engaging, linking, sharing),
guided reading lesson (Before –
Teacher introduces text, vocab.,
sets purpose or teaching point,
etc.
During – teacher listens as
students read independently
recording observations and using
formative assessments to guide
instruction.
After – Teacher
restates/reinforces/links today’s
learning to ongoing

3. Jennifer Evans 2015 St. Clair County RESA
application, etc.), skill
lesson, independent work
time, sharing, etc.
restates/reinforces/links
today’s learning to
ongoing work/learning /
application, etc.), skill
lesson, independent work
time, sharing, etc.
restates/reinforces/links
today’s learning to ongoing
work/learning / application,
etc.), skill lesson,
independent work time,
sharing, etc.
Sometimes my groups and
lessons are too short or too
long.
work/learning / application, etc.),
skill lesson, independent work
time, sharing, etc.
Students are using
metacognition and transferring
learning to all content areas.
Text Selection:
 My goal is to select texts
that are appropriate in
terms of level for my
groups.
 My goal is to teach
students how to
appropriately select texts at
their level.
Text Variation:
My goal is to provide students
with experiences across a wide
range of fiction and nonfiction
texts.
I am just beginning to
analyze texts for level of
difficulty and
opportunities to develop
processing strategies.
I am just beginning to
learn about genres and
how they vary in structure
and other characteristics.
My book collection does
not provide variety to
meet my students’ needs.
I am selecting texts with
attention to level and text
characteristics but often
they are not suitable for
many of my groups.
Students have choice for
reading at home but not
for independent reading at
school.
I can identify genres and
know about their structure
and characteristics. I am
just beginning to analyze
what my students know
and to plan for more
variety in my guided
reading program.
I can generally select texts
that meet the needs of my
students in terms of level,
but I am still working on
using text characteristics
effectively to help students
extend their knowledge.
Students have choice for
their independent reading.
I have acquired a varied
book collection, and I
understand and use my
knowledge of
characteristics of genre in
planning for minilessons
and guided reading.
My students are provided
with fiction and nonfiction
texts on a regular basis.
I select texts that are appropriate
and meet the needs of my
students. I can analyze text to
discern opportunities to learn
and use texts effectively to help
children extend their strategies.
Students are able to
appropriately select texts for
their independent reading.
My book collection is rich and
varied. I have an in-depth
knowledge of the characteristics
of different genres.
I plan students’ reading programs
carefully so that they are
introduced to new genres in
minilessons and guided reading
instruction, and they incorporate
them into their independent
reading.
Text Introduction: I sometimes introduce I regularly introduce texts I introduce texts in a way My text introductions are

4. Jennifer Evans 2015 St. Clair County RESA
My goal is to introduce texts in
a way that provides access for
students to the meaning,
language, and print of fiction
and nonfiction texts.
texts by reviewing
vocabulary words and
asking questions. I have
student predict what they
think will happen based on
the title or picture, but I
rarely go back and discuss
whether their prediction
were accurate. I am just
learning how to introduce
texts in a way that helps
children use processing
strategies.
by previewing the
meaning and directing
children’s attention to
some features. I try to set
a purpose for reading.
Sometimes my
introductions are too
supportive and sometimes
they do not seem to
provide enough support. I
am beginning to plan text
introductions based on my
observations of student
reading behavior.
that provides students with
the support they need to
read and comprehend texts
at their appropriate reading
levels. My introductions
are usually well planned
and based on students’
behaviors. I am working on
my introductions to enable
students to read with
comprehension and other
processing strategies.
carefully planned, scaffolded,
smooth, and well-paced. They
provide students with access to
meaning, language, and print
features but leave important
problem-solving for them to do.
My introductions are based on
my assessment of students’
processing strategies and make it
possible for students to learn
more from their own reading.
Teaching Strategies:
 My goal is to teach
intensively in every part of
the reading lesson in order
to expand my students’
ability to use background
knowledge, solve words,
check on their reading,
access and use information,
think beyond a text, make
connections, maintain
phrased, fluent reading,
and think about the text in
critical ways.
 My goal is to successfully
implement fluent, relevant
mini-lessons based on
students’ reading
behaviors.
 My goal is to successfully
I am just beginning to
understand processing
strategies and to observe
students’ reading
behaviors.
I am beginning to
accommodate students’
needs.
I am able to find evidence
of processing strategies as
I observe students
reading. I support their
development of strategies
by providing texts at
appropriate levels most of
the time but have not yet
developed expert teaching
skills. I am not always
accurate with selecting
appropriate strategies
based on the needs of
students.
I have systems in place to
assess and re-teach in
order to accommodate
students’ needs.
I observe students’ reading
behavior continuously and
am able to find examples
and powerful teaching
points to bring to their
attention; I am observing
the impact of my
introduction, interactions,
and teaching after the
reading.
I have begun to incorporate
some differentiation into
initial instruction.
I provide interventions to
targeted students but am
inconsistent.
My decisions and interactions are
well-timed and powerful in
illustrating processing strategies
for students. My decisions allow
students to use what they know
to process a text. I am aware of
and teach for a wide range of
processing strategies and I see
evidence that students are taking
on these strategies for
themselves.
I differentiate for all students to
meet students’ needs so that
they are successful on their first
attempts.
I assess, teach, and monitor the
learning of students on a daily
basis.
I provide interventions to
targeted students daily.

5. Jennifer Evans 2015 St. Clair County RESA
implement all components
of a guided reading lesson
including before, during,
and after activities.
 My goal is to provide
explicit, scaffold
instruction.
 My goal is to utilize the
gradual release model for
instruction.
 My goal is to accommodate
all student needs with a
MTSS (Multi-Tiered System
of Support.
Adapted from Guiding Readers and Writers, by Irene C. Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell