Interactive Read-Aloud & Shared Reading Janice Such Grade 1

A Definition According to Fountas and Pinnell, Interactive Read-Aloud is “A teaching context in which students are actively listening and responding to an oral reading of a text.” --The Continuum of Literacy Learning, Grades K-2. A Guide to Teaching, page 163.

Fountas and Pinnell on Reading “Reading to children is the most effective literacy demonstration you can provide. As you read aloud, you demonstrate how to think and act like a reader; you also provide insights into writing because you are sharing a coherent, meaningful piece of written language that an author has constructed…” --Matching Books to Readers, page 9

The Continuum of Literacy Learning Curriculum goals of Interactive Read-Aloud: To promote new learning from the selected text. To expose students to a variety of genres and increasingly complex texts.

Kid Watching From the teacher’s vantage point: Look for evidence of students’ literal understanding before, during, and after listening to a text read aloud. --Did they pick up important information? --Could they follow the plot? --Could they remember important details?

Types of Questions for Students What do you think will happen next? What are you thinking about the story right now? This story reminds me of … What does it remind you of? What picture do you see in your mind right now? What does this story make you wonder about? How is this story like other stories we have read in class or you have read on your own?

Benefits of Interactive Read-Aloud In Interactive Read-Aloud, the listener is freed from decoding and is supported by the oral reader’s expression --fluency --phrasing --stress

Which Level to Choose? The teacher does not need to select a specific level, but the text characteristics as well as the age and grade of listeners should be considered.

Vocabulary Interactive Read-Alouds and Literature Discussions help students to expand vocabulary because children hear words that are not ordinarily used. Since the teacher says the words the length, number of syllables, inflectional endings, etc. are not major factors in choosing a text. For literature discussion, students who cannot read the words can be given a taped reading.

Within the Text Benefits Students do not have to decode. Children hear fluent phrasing. Students can self-monitor their understanding. Children can remember information in summary form. Children can adjust their thinking to understand different fiction and nonfiction genres.

Beyond the Text The teacher can Help children to make predictions and connections to previous knowledge and their own lives. Support student thinking beyond the literal meaning. Demonstrate how to think beyond the text. Stop at selected intervals to discuss text elements that expand thinking.

About the Text The teacher can direct students’ attention to: Author’s craft Use of language Characterization Organization Text Structure

Special Benefits for ELL Students For ELLs, Interactive Read-Alouds provide Opportunities to hear the syntax and vocabulary of the language in text. Modeling and engagement in oral language opportunities. Exposure to meaningful, high-quality texts. Scaffolding through the literacy process for students.

Please share your tips and ideas about Interactive Read-Aloud. Turn and Talk Please share your tips and ideas about Interactive Read-Aloud.

Read Aloud Pedagogy Making Meaning Read-Alouds include: Biographies, expository text, articles, essays Nonfiction, poetry, fantasy, folklore Inclusion of a wide range of cultures Vocabulary highlighted for all students as well as for ELLs These are the kinds of texts I choose for Interactive Read-Aloud, too!

Acknowledgements Fountas, Irene and Pinnell, Gay Su. Matching Books to Readers. Portsmouth, NH: 1999. Fountas, Irene and Pinnell, Gay Su: The Continuum of Literacy Learning, Grades K-2. A Guide to Teaching. Portsmouth, NH: 2007. “The Lesson Collection: Word Work.” http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/search/assetDetail.cfm?guidAssetID=175515A1-0C65-4AE9-BD57-AF7ADDC980B7