What is the primary purpose of guided reading?

The primary purpose of guided reading is to provide instruction at a student’s specific reading level. This approach enables teachers to tailor their instruction to meet the diverse needs of their students. In guided reading sessions, small groups of students read texts that are appropriately challenging for their reading abilities. Teachers support these students by offering targeted instruction that focuses on developing reading strategies, comprehension skills, and fluency. This individualized attention allows students to build confidence and proficiency as they progress in their reading journey.

While assessing students' reading abilities, encouraging group discussions, and introducing various genres can also be valuable components of reading instruction, they do not capture the core intent of guided reading. The focus here is specifically on meeting students where they are in their reading development and guiding them through texts that foster growth and improvement at their own pace.