Facilitating Successful Literacy Centers for 2nd Grade

Let’s imagine literacy centers. You walk into a classroom and you see kids scattered around the room. Some are in chairs, some on the floor, some at a table, everywhere! Then you notice some kids are talking and laughing with a partner, others are on a computer, a few are reading a book, others are working at their desk, and some are at a table with the teacher. Does this paint the pictures of chaos or perfectly structured differentiated literacy centers?

As a teacher who loves structure, plans, and order in her classroom- the idea of centers terrified me for the longest time, until I tried it! Then I fell in love!! Just because students are around the room doing different things, does not mean it is chaos! It means they are working on an activity made for their learning needs. It also means those 4-6 kids at the table with the teacher are getting precious individualized instruction ON THEIR LEVEL!! Reading centers can be magical, and I am going to tell you how!

This post is going to take you through an overview of how I do guided literacy centers with my 2nd grade students.

Literacy Centers Timing

This is the biggest reason most teachers have for not trying centers- not enough time! You have the time, let’s figure out how to use it!! This is what my schedule looked like:

10 – 15 minutes- shared reading

15 minutes- 1st reading center

15 minutes- 2nd reading center

Yes I only have 50 minutes for reading and yes I do centers!! I leave a little extra flexibility for transitions or if shared reading runs long.

I tried doing 3 rotations at 10 minutes each but felt that did not work for me, there was not enough time to dive into text! Think about your reading time, I bet you have time for 2 literacy centers a day AND your regularly scheduled reading lesson!

Student Groups

I usually have four groups for my reading centers because with my class sizes that makes each group 5-6 students per group. Students are organized by reading level and then the groups are refined by reading comprehension, decoding ability, vocabulary, and fluency to ensure that students have the same instructional needs. The neediest group is seen everyday at the guided reading teacher center. The most independent readers are only seen 3 times a week at the teacher station.

Below is an example of one day of reading center rotation schedules. I project this on my smart board so students know what they are doing they day and can prepare themselves when it is time to transition from the 1st to 2nd center.

Click the picture above to download the FREE center signs I use to label the activities and supplies for each of my reading stations! They match the signs that I use on my digital schedule shown above that I project for the class.

FREE Center Signs

5 Literacy Centers I Use

Focus Frog

Goal: Students apply the focus reading comprehension strategy/ skill that is taught that week to a text passage on their level (or a picture if needed). This is my assessment each week for students understanding of the whole group teaching focus.
What it looks like: worksheet
How often students do this center: once a week
I called it focus frog because I tend to like everything being alliteration and bonus points for incorporating animals!
I often use Miss Decarbo’s Text Based Evidence Reading Passages– there are multiple levels of reading passages in her store and they are perfect for checking students understanding.

Buddy Reading

Goal: practice fluency and decoding
What it looks like: students reading partner plays together at their level
How often students do this center: 1-2 times a week
My favorite partner plays are from a Teeny Tiny Teacher because she has differentiated leveled options. There are also versions that have 2 or 3 student parts.
I also use fluency voice cards to help my students think of different ways to read the plays if they have extra time. For example, read like a cowboy, a baby, a robot, etc.

Do you want more reading ideas and freebies sent to you?

Seek & Find

Goal: sight word and vocabulary practice
What it looks like: multi-modality activities and sensory spelling- interacting with words
How often students do this center: once a week
I made these sight word activities that involve a variety of modalities of interacting with the sight words which I use for this center! (shown in the picture below)
Depending on my class, I have also offered sensory writing tools such as pipe cleaners, colored rice, play doh. Students use these objects to form the letters of their focus sight word.
I also write the focus sight word for the week on the board. Students look for it in their books, worksheets, anywhere! We celebrate them recognizing it and sharing it with the class.

Technology

Goal: practice reading in an engaging, differentiated format
What it looks like: variety of websites such as Front Row, Get Epic, Read Theory, & Storyline Online
How often students do this center: twice a week
I usually have students have one day a week where both centers are technology for a group. This helps to eliminate time wasted with sign on problems. Students getting upset if there are technology issues and their time is cut short, and other glitches that often come up. I also do this so that the tablets are used 4/5 days of the week. I do this because I always have a few students who get really upset if they miss their tablet day from being sick, being pulled out, whatever the reason.
Friday is our make up technology day if students missed theirs. Unless they have teacher station then they only get one center of technology that day. The students have found this a fair way to make sure everyone gets their tablet time. You know kids- can’t miss a minute of screen time!

Teacher Time (Guided Reading)

Goal: deliver individualized instruction and reading support to meet each specific students’ needs
What it looks like: a group of 5-6 students reading a text on their instructional level with support and modeling. Also, instruction from the teacher as they practice decoding, fluency, and/ or comprehension. Whatever their reading needs are should be included!
How often do students do this center: between 3-5 times a week

Making Reading Centers for YOUR Students

I have followed this basic reading centers model for several years. However, the expectations and activities of each center has changed every year because of the ability of my students. I like how these literacy centers focus on the main aspects of reading. However, what is assigned for each student to complete and participate in should reflect your students’ levels and needs.

Reading centers are my favorite time of the day!! I love using reading centers with my students to deliver differentiated individualized instruction!