While I’m teaching a guided reading lesson, the other students are reading. For an excellent guide to the research on this see Chapter 2 of Allington's What really matters for struggling readers (Addison Wesley, 2001). I used to have the other students do various art or worksheet activities, but then a principal pointed out to me that if the students could be busy, then they could be busy doing academics.

Now, I have one group at the library area reading any books they choose. I have one or two groups reading the 5 to 8 books in their ziploc bags which are at their independent reading level. When I had a larger class, I had an additional group listening to a book on tape. Sometimes, a group who has just received a guided reading lesson is doing a follow-up activity to that lesson. Sometimes, a group might read poetry, or some other genre we’re studying. K and 1 students can also read around the room.

This system works for two reasons. One is that I expect students, even six-year-olds, to “read, read, read” and I spend time during the first six weeks of school training them to do just that. Second, I do what ever I can to get books so that there are enough for each child to have 8 books to read at any one time.