ABSTRACT
Groups were created based on level, artificially created through a computerized test or a reading inventory. Students are grouped based on needs. Typically, students go in and out of small groups that crop up throughout a week based on how they are doing on certain skills. This means that students don't feel labeled as being a "bad" reader because they are not in the same group day after day. Students need reading role models, and not just adult ones. One might think that creating an environment filled with student book choice is easy and yes, for many of our students, not much guidance is needed. Students who read significantly below their grade level are able to access the same texts as their peers. This matters when we create reading communities, because they no longer feel different when they book shop. Students can develop critical thinking skills without having to spend enormous brainpower on decoding.
