Conferring with

Readers: Finding Focus

Donalyn Miller

What is your biggest conferring challenge?

What obstacles prevent you from conferring?

Comprehension Conference

(Routman, 2003)

Mosaic of ThoughtListserv

What do I notice?

What is my plan for the reader and myself in relation

to this reader?

Reading Habits Conference Date _____________ Grading Period 1 2 3 4 5 6

Reader Preferences Engagement Record Keeping Commitment Selection

    school   abandoned recommendations

reading level text level home   plan other

Currently reading: What number book is this for the year?

    school   abandoned recommendations

reading level text level home   plan other

Currently reading: What number book is this for the year?

    school   abandoned recommendations

reading level text level home   plan other

Currently reading: What number book is this for the year?

    school   abandoned recommendations

reading level text level home   plan other

Currently reading: What number book is this for the year?

Preferences Does the student show preferences for genres, authors, series? What is the text difficulty of the books he/she reads?

Engagement How engaged is the student during reading time? Is the student reading at home?  

Record Keeping Is the student using his/her reader's notebook to keep accurate reading records?  

Commitment Does the student abandon books? What is the student's plan for future reading?  

Reading Habits ConferenceDate ____12-2-

11_________ Grading Period 1 2 3 4 5 6

Reader Preferences Engagement Record Keeping Commitment Selection

 TRISTEN

 difficult to see clear preferences

seems to select books at random

reads in class

school accurate genre graph &

reading list (matched and completed)

No More Dead Dogs

abandoned

covers Ethan S.me

recommendations

at/below

reading level

at/below

text level

Sometimes: TV, friends, homework

home  

no plan

plan other

Currently reading: Eleventh Plague What number book is this for the year? 8

 ALEX

 science fictionfantasyseries

reads in class“sneak reader”school

 incomplete reading list: titles, authors or dates missing

“Why would I do that?”

abandoned

series15-year-old brothermerecommendations

above

reading level

at/ above

text level

“Every night before I go to sleep.”

home  

Mockingjay, Burning Bridge

plan other

Currently reading: Catching Fire What number book is this for the year? 14

 ALICIA

 realistic fictionfantasy “hates historical fiction”

reads in class

school

 accurate genre graph and reading list (matched, completed, color-coded)

Nerd Girls

abandoned

book order book commercialsmeKennarecommendations

at

reading level

at

text level

“30 minutes every day when I get home.”

home  

to-read list titles

plan other

Currently reading: Watsons Go to Birmingham What number book is this for the year? 17

 ABBY realistic fictionInformational non-fiction

sometimes reads in class

school accurate genre graph and

reading list (matched and completed)

none

abandoned

meLisaNatalierecommendations

at/below

reading level

at/below

text level

“reads every night”

home  

to-read list

plan other

Currently reading: Calligraphy What number book is this for the year? 16

Preferences Does the student show preferences for genres, authors, series? What is the text difficulty of the books he/she reads?

Engagement How engaged is the student during reading time? Is the student reading at home?  

Record Keeping Is the student using his/her reader's notebook to keep accurate reading records?  

Commitment Does the student abandon books? What is the student's plan for future reading?  

Reading Conference Recap

o Golden Gate Bridge method

o Focus on one skill or concept.

o Keep records.

o Each person in the conference walks away

with something to do.o It’s about the reader, not about the book.