Designing Shared Reading

Bookworms Rationale Reading volume is important Reading whole texts is important Reading repeatedly is important

Organization Before ReadingDevelop prior knowledge – especially vocabulary knowledge Set a purpose for reading During ReadingModel a comprehension strategy Provide support through choral and repeated reading After ReadingAsk interesting questions Set up a writing task

Step 1: Teach Vocabulary 1.For 1-2, we teach words and patterns, organized developmentally. The words are related to one another, but not necessarily to the text. 2.For upper elementary, we use words from the text and teach what they mean, how their syllables are structured, and how they can be transformed into different parts of speech.

Step 2: Set a First Purpose We ask students to share the previous day’s written response as a way of reviewing and providing a natural audience for their work. We also try to set a comprehension purpose. We tell the readers to think about something specific.

Step 3: First Reading We engage in choral reading with 10 minutes as our goal. We stop once, at a strategic spot, to model a comprehension strategy. When we model, we are not asking – we are showing. We choose based on the natural provisions of the text. There is no scope an sequence.

Step 4: Transition We engage the students in a brief discussion of the initial purpose for reading. We set another – deeper – purpose for rereading. We allow the students to read in partners. Our goal, again, is about 10 minutes.

Step 5: Discussion We discuss the second purpose. We engage in a text-based, higher order discussion. We employ EPR when possible.

Step 6: Text Structure We complete some sort of graphic organizer to help students to keep track of the unfolding meaning of the text. – Story map? – Timeline? – Specific organizer for information content?

Step 7: Written Response We assign written responses. Often these start with the vocabulary. We engage children in DAILY text-based response. We ask students to complete during small- group time.

Make the Written Responses Public We want you to have partners share their written responses to begin the next day’s lesson – it holds them accountable to one another and builds shared responsibility for comprehension.

You can see our work At comprehensivereadingsolutions.com, there are 9 weeks of shared reading. You can use those lesson plans yourself, or you can use them as a model for your own planning.