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Interactive Read-Aloud

Grades K-3October 17, 2012Presented by: Building reading specialists

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Agenda

Definition of Interactive Read Aloud Purpose of Interactive Read Aloud Process Including Book and Objective

Selections Assessment Model Independent Work to Develop

Interactive Read-Alouds for Classrooms

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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.

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Fountas and Pinnellon 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

Purpose

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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.

Purpose

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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 The reader’s focus is then on making

meaning.

Purpose

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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.

Purpose

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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.

Purpose

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How to Support Reader Thinking Within, Beyond and About a Text

Process

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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.

Process

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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.

Process

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About the Text

The teacher can direct students’ attention

to: Author’s craft Use of language Characterization Organization Text Structure

Process

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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.

Consider a text just beyond

your readers’ reach. (Should

be within the text complexity band defined in RL 10 and RI 10.)

Process

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Example of Prompts See Moon Handout from Collabs.

Reading Skill Think-Aloud Turn and Talk

Monitoring for Meaning

Wait! This doesn’t make sense. I’m going to reread this part to try and figure it out.

A lot has happened so far. Turn and talk to your partner and retell what has happened so far.

Process

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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?

Assessing

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Modeling of an Interactive Read Aloud

Modeling

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Turn and Talk

To a grade level peer to develop an Interactive Read Aloud for your classroom.

Independent

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Wrap It Up!Comments?Questions?

Thank you!

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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.

Hoyt, Linda: Interactive Read-Alouds. Portsmouth, NH: 2007.