What Do the Kids DO During ELA Centers?

My favorite subject to teach is reading. I love meeting with small groups and listening to them read each and every day. I often get asked:
"How do you meet with EVERY group EVERY day?" "How do you find the time?" "What are your other kids doing?" "How do you keep them quiet and engaged?" "Do you hold them accountable? How?"
Well, allow me to explain.... I love the use of CENTERS in my classroom! I believe in a "happy hum" of chatter in my classroom although most of the centers are actually pretty quiet, because the students are so engaged. Let me explain how my ELA centers work. First of all, I have a 90 minute ELA block. So I teach whole group for 30 minutes, then do 4 rotations of centers that are 15 minutes each. During whole group instruction, I teach the target skills for the week such as phonics, comprehension skills, vocabulary, sight words, etc (from our basal series).
I have a large number of students, so I had to break my centers up into two-day rotations to get through them all. I have 6 centers in all PLUS "Meet with the Teacher" (which occurs every day). I have 4 different groups in my classroom based on ability/reading levels (Green #1, Green #2, Purple, and Blue). The color system correlates to our basal series to help me remember who is who. :)

I had to really play with how I wanted my centers to run and what centers to include, how many, the rotation schedule, etc. It took a lot of tweaking and revising, but I have finally found exactly what works for my classroom, my students, and the resources and technology that I have available to me. Perhaps it could work for you too! So to answer all the questions above, let me explain in a virtual picture story of my ELA Centers. Enjoy! :)

During Word Work, the students get their spelling list out. Each of my groups has a different spelling list. I differentiate by ability so some lists are more difficult than others. Some groups may be practicing vocabulary words, while others are practicing sight words, some basic spelling words, and some advanced spelling words. It just depends on what the students need to practice!
I let the students choose how they want to practice in Word Work. I firmly believe in student choice in the classroom. Let them choose how they want to learn and I guarantee they will be more successful!
They can practice their list using magnetic letters. I found mine for $1 at Walmart and actually bought 6 packs so that there were enough for everyone.
The rubber stamps are another favorite, but more expensive. I found mine at a teacher supply store and borrowed another set from an upper elementary teacher who wasn't using them. They simply stamp their words on lined paper.
The kids love the dry-erase boards. The girls, especially, love to give each other "practice spelling tests" and then give each other a grade. Easy to write and erase!
Last, students can choose to grab an old keyboard. It's not hooked up to anything, just a keyboard to type, type, type their words. They love it!
If you have access to an iPad or iPod, the students can also get on the Magnetic ABC App. You can find and download it {HERE} on iTunes. It is wonderful! You can have the students make vowels and consonants different colors or highlight spelling patterns or just simply spell the words out. There is a FREE version or you can download a version that will give you a few more extra options (but they're not necessary for this station). This is what the app looks like as the students are working on Word Work:

Do the students complete any type of paperwork and/or worksheet at Word Work? NO! I do not require them to record their words or turn in any work that they complete during Word Work. As long as they are on-task, I would rather the students be having fun with hands-on activities rather than with pencil/paper tasks. That is just my humble opinion though.
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At the Respond in Writing Center, I tried to give my students the choice to "free write". Well, that just didn't work for many of my kiddos hence the "RESPOND in Writing". Many students just needed more structure such as prompts and graphic organizers. So, again, I differentiated and offered choice. Some students CAN and WILL free-write using the bulletin board you see above from A Cupcake for the Teacher. They write in their Writer's Notebooks (composition books).
Other students will choose a writing prompt from the baskets. These are from my Monthly Common Core Writing Packs on TPT (they are bundled if you want to save 20%). These were designed to be used during Writer's Workshop, but if I don't get to a particular piece in Writer's Workshop, it goes in the baskets for Respond in Writing. In each basket, I have a copy of the prompt, then stapled packets of the graphic organizer and publishing papers included. The kids love the authentic writing prompts and the monthly themed approach to writing AND it gives them a little focus and guidance when they have a hard time deciding what to write. I have found that this works really well and addresses the Common Core Standards perfectly! You can find a complete Q&A about my Monthly Common Core Writing Packs by clicking {HERE}.
Another choice for Respond in Writing is to write a story in the Classroom Story Collections Notebooks. These were quickly made by making cute little labels and attaching them to the notebooks. You can also just write in marker on the notebook itself. By the end of the year, the stories are pretty fun to read and you will have QUITE the collection! :)
Finally, at the writing table, I allow my students (if they can handle it) to write with something fun - a COOL writing instrument. Most will choose to write with a pencil and then decorate with markers, pens, or colored pencils, but it makes them feel especially "grown up" when they get to use these fun writing utensils.

Check out my Monthly Common Core Writing Bundles by clicking the pictures below.

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During Silent Reading, the students read a book out of their book bag. Their book bag is simply a gallon-sized bag where they store 3 books that are in their ZPD (zone of proximal development). I determine this by using our Reading Assessment Data. They go pick out new books after they have read the books and taken A.R. (Accelerated Reader) tests on them. I do allow my students to read out loud quietly using our whisper phones. I hand-made these several summers ago using PVC pipe and duct tape for decoration purposes. They were super cheap to make and perfect for those kiddos who you constantly hear reading out loud - which is OK! :)
For Silent Reading, they have many places where they can sit. We have beach chairs, stools, crate seats, bean bags, rugs, etc. For some reason, it's just more fun to be sitting somewhere other than your desk when you're reading! I try to think about how I like to read. I am usually laying on the couch or in bed, so I think my students probably want to sit and read comfortably as well. So I am very flexible in their seating for Silent Reading. Many like to lay down under tables and such, which is fine by me as long as they're reading!
Do I require any type of response sheet or graphic organizer to be completed or turned in during this time? NO! That type of instruction happens at the small group table with me. This center is all about the students reading for ENJOYMENT!
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Buddy Reading is one of my students' favorites! They love to sit with a friend and dive into a good book. Since my groups are ability-grouped, both buddies will be reading on the same level, so they can choose from either of their book bags since they will be close to the same level or ZPD.
During Buddy Reading, the most important part (in my opinion) is holding each other accountable for their comprehension. At the bottom of each page, students must pass the card pictured above and the partner must summarize what they heard their partner read. If they get it right, they move on to the next page and switch readers. If they get it wrong or can't summarize, they have to re-read that page. This really helps to build that reading comprehension and, again, it holds the students accountable for staying focused and on-task during this rotation.
The students must have books that are appropriate for both readers. If they find that they are having a hard time reading or comprehending what's being read, they must choose another book from the classroom library that is suitable for both readers and their ZPD.
Do I require any type of response sheet or graphic organizer to be completed or turned in during this time? NO! That type of instruction happens at the small group table with me. This center is all about the students reading for ENJOYMENT, just like Silent Reading. They will hold each other accountable.
*Note: If you are reading this and recognize the Check for Understanding cards shown above, PLEASE let me know who created them. I have the original file, but it doesn't have a credits page and I have tried my hardest to track down the blogger that they belong to with no luck! I would love to give credit, so please leave a comment if you know who they belong to so that I can credit them with a link back to their blog or store. Thanks!*
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During the Listening Center, my students listen to the story of the week (from the basal series). If you have audio CDs of the basal stories and access to old iPhones/iPods or new ones like me, you can easily use the CDs to transfer the music to your device through iTunes. I am fortunate enough to have 3 iPads and 5 iPods for my classroom thanks to school funding and a grant that I applied for and was awarded. I know, I know, I am beyond blessed with an abundance of devices. The iPads/iPods go in the clearly labeled drawers for safe keeping when not in use.
If a student finishes early, they can also listen to several iBooks that I have downloaded or listen to a book on Storia from Scholastic. How do I get the money to buy and download eBooks? I put iTunes gift cards on my Classroom Wish List and also on my Christmas Wish List. It has worked wonders!
How do you have enough head phones? On the Supply List at the beginning of the year, I include a pair of ear bud headphones for each child. When they bring them in, I place them in a snack size plastic bag with their name on it, so they have their own headphones to use when needed.
Do I require any type of response sheet or graphic organizer to be completed or turned in during this time? NO! That type of instruction happens at the small group table with me. This center is all about the students listening to reading for ENJOYMENT!
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At the Tech Time Center, my students use the computers in the classroom to practice skills that we are working on that week or they can use Spelling City to practice their spelling words. I paid for the Premium Membership so that I could create differentiated spelling lists for the different groups and provide clear assignments at the Tech Time station specifically on Thursdays before our Spelling Test on Friday. The students can also access this website at home to complete their assignments if they want. On our class website, I usually list links specific to the skills we are working on also and a link to Spelling City and then let the kids choose! Again, it's all about the choice!
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The last rotation is at the small group table with me. This is where mini-lessons are conducted, more detailed instruction from whole group, reading for fluency and comprehension checks, working on standards-based skills, graphic organizers, reader's response, etc. All of those things happen at the small group table with ME so that I can be there to see exactly what they CAN and CANNOT do. This is important for me in order to know how my students are progressing and where to go from there.

At the small group table, I will often use one of my Common Core Reading Graphic Organizers to assess the students' knowledge of the skill taught that week. This also helps when completing standards-based report cards which is new to our district. I have clear evidence of each and every standard that the student has or has not mastered. I keep them all in a data binder, so come time for report cards, I am ready! :)

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Below you can see the rotation schedule that I use in my classroom. I allow my students TWO days to go through all SIX of the centers. But I do get to meet with EVERY group EVERY day which was important to me! I simply pop this up on my ActivBoard when we start centers and they know exactly where to go - just follow the schedule!

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With all this going on in your classroom at the same time, how do you manage on-task behavior? Good question! I wrote a post a while back about Class Dojo. It is an amazing classroom management tool that works wonders when you are implementing centers into your classroom. I sit at the small group table and manage behavior without ever having to leave my small group - brilliant! You can read more about Class Dojo on my blog {HERE} and our collaborative blog {HERE}. It's FREE, so give it a try!
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I really hope that this picture tutorial has helped you to understand how I manage my ELA Centers in my classroom. I hope it inspires you, helps you, and encourages you to try something new. Centers are, by far, the best thing I have done for my students and myself in my 10 years of teaching. The best part: My kiddos left my classroom LOVING to read! It takes all the "work" out of reading and inserts a big fat amount of "fun". Listening to and working with EVERY child EVERY day helps me to know exactly where they are and where they need to go from there. I hope you give centers a try in your classroom! Feel free to PIN any of the pictures you find helpful above! It's super easy. There is a little red Pin It button beside or underneath every picture in the post. Pin until your heart's content! :)

Credits - Graphics and Fonts by: Sonya DeHart, KG Fonts, That Girl Design @ www.sugarhillco.com, Ashley Hughes, KPM Doodles, and Krista Wallden.