By: Karen Harbin

Each step of Read-Write-Pair-Share helps promote the discussion of texts between the students and teacher. " 1. Read: Students either read silently, or follow along as the teacher reads aloud; 2. Write: Students quickly write their impressions of reactions to the text, or answer a specific question; 3. Pair: Students turn to a partner and talk about what they've written; 4. Share: The teacher invites large-group discussion. "

Allows students a given amount of time to read the text. The teacher should plan their lesson accordingly so students do not feel rushed while reading. If teachers choose to read during this step, other instructional strategies may also be incorporated, such as, echo or choral readings. STEP 1

In the article by Jill Pentimonti, they observed a classroom where instead of silently reading the text, they did Read-Alouds. They feared that their students were not reading by themselves and they were getting bored.

Students are asked to respond to the text either with their initial reaction or to answer a specific question about the text in writing. This step requires that students have actually read the text; otherwise, students will not be able to respond in writing. This step also gives students extra time to either reread the text if they were initially confused or extra time to think over the question. This step eliminates classroom discussions that are dominated by students that respond to questions so quickly no other students have a time to think of an answer. STEP 2

Isabelle, one of the teachers from the article “Incorporating Informational Texts in the Primary Grades”, asked her students to read a story and then they began making comparisons and connections. They compared how peanuts are grown with how tomatoes are grown. She had them label in the book where things were similar with an “S” and where things were different with a “D”.

Students share their answers with a partner. This step of Read-Write-Pair- Share allows students who would normally feel uncomfortable about answering a question in front of the class a smaller audience to compare their answer with. This step is especially important in math classrooms, where answers are normally right or wrong, because students who are afraid of saying a wrong answer can compare their answer with another. This step also allows students to expand their ideas by hearing the ideas of their partner. STEP 3

When the teacher guides classroom discussion about the text and student responses to the text. During this step, teachers can feel free to call on any student and ask them to discuss what they or their partner thought about the text because all students have had time to come up with an answer and listen to other answers. Read-Write-Pair-Share helps teachers avoid classroom discussion situations where students reply to questions with, “I don’t know,” or something similar because they didn’t have time think of an answer. STEP 4

In Lyman’s article, Mr. Leonardo, has his students read an article about a kid who tested positive for anabolic steroids and was dismissed from the wrestling team. He told them to take 4 minutes to write a response, and then they were to turn and share with their partner. Then they had a group discussion as a class about what everyone said.

For the students who read slower than the rest can.. -read in small groups. -have me read the text aloud to them. -have the reading on tape. DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION IDEAS

Calo, K. M. (2011). Incorporating informational texts in the primary grades: A research- based rationale, practical strategies, and two teachers’ experiences. (Master's thesis), Available from Galileo. Retrieved from Pentimonti, J. M. (2010). Informational text use in preschool classroom read-alouds. (Master's thesis), Available from Galileo. Retrieved from Lyman, F.(1987). Think-pair-share: An expanding teaching technique. MAA-CIE Cooperative News, 1(1), 1-2. Orenstein, P. (1995). Schoolgirls: Young women, self-esteem, and the confidence gap. New York: Random House. Wilcox, B., Williams, L., & Reutzel, R. D. (1997). Effects of task roles on participation and productivity in the intermediate grades. Journal of Educational Research, 51, REFERENCES