What is guided reading?

Every week we read with each student in our class. Guided reading is bigger than 'just reading'. Every week, we specifically choose books that are at the appropriate level and focus on one skill. 'Appropriate level' means the level of book is not too hard that it causes frustration but it's not too easy that the child is unable to practice his/her skills.
Today I worked with a group reading level H. The book that I choose had rhyming words. The is the second time meeting with this group, reading this book, so today we focused on the rhyming words. Students went through the book and we identified the words that rhymed and wrote them on a little whiteboard. Students were able to hear the rhymes and then see how the words were spelled. Afterwards, I introduced a language lesson, focused on rhyming words. From here, students will take this skill and practice the lesson during Montessori work period. They will be able to solidify their understanding of rhyming words at their own pace.
How can you help? Ask your child about their guided reading books. What skills are they working on? What language lessons relate to the books their reading? Simpler things you can do on the go: sing songs, recite nursery rhymes, identify words they see in public and come up with similar words that rhyme or start the same or end the same. The more we talk about our reading and language and what we're learning, the more connections will be made.