effective read alouds for early literacy

HISD EARLY CHILDHOOD DEPARTMENT

HISD EARLY CHILDHOOD DEPARTMENT

ELEMENTARY CURRICULUM & DEVELOPMENT

ELEMENTARY CURRICULUM & DEVELOPMENT

Effe

ctiv

e R

ead

Alou

ds

Effe

ctiv

e R

ead

Alou

ds

for E

arly

Lite

racy

for E

arly

Lite

racy

NormsNorms

• Actively participate

• Show mutual respect

• Limit side conversations

• Use mobile devices courteously

• Be extraordinary!

Expected OutcomesExpected Outcomes

• To learn what a read aloud is and the importance

• Learn the difference between a shared read aloud and an interactive read aloud

• What to do before, during, and after a read aloud

Read Aloud Time!Read Aloud Time!

QuestionQuestion

Who can tell me…how many read alouds should you read

in one day???

What is a Read Aloud?What is a Read Aloud?

The teacher offering intentional instruction by using specific questions and prompts to

enhance children’s development of oral language and comprehension.

--Frog Street Press

Rationale for Reading AloudRationale for Reading Aloud

• Promotes an enjoyable experience with books

• Motivates children to want to learn to read

• Provides a good model of fluent and expressive reading

• Helps develop a sense of story

Rationale for Reading AloudRationale for Reading Aloud

• Builds background knowledge

• Builds comprehension

• Increases concept and vocabulary knowledge

• Provides opportunities to hear and understand more formal language

• Inspires writing

Read Alouds in ProgressionRead Alouds in Progression

Interactive Read AloudsInteractive Read Alouds

• Teacher reads from one book

• Used for comprehension strategies, think alouds, fluency, etc.

Shared Read AloudsShared Read Alouds• Teacher and students read in unison

• Students practice reading fluency, expression and concepts of print.

• Texts that can be read:– Big books– Charts poems, rhymes, etc.

Lesson Pre-WorkLesson Pre-Work

1. Pick a book

2. Preview the book

3. Select vocabulary

4. Identify the big idea of the book and/or the comprehension focus question

5. Select stopping points

6. Plan questions for scaffolding

Choosing a Read AloudChoosing a Read Aloud

• Background and interest of your children

• Length of the book

• Purpose or goal of book

VocabularyVocabulary

VocabularyVocabulary

New vocabulary includes unfamiliar words that children will need to understand for comprehension.

*This does not always mean the hardest words.

Remember…Remember…• When introducing vocabulary , encourage the children to say the word with

you. Ask them to say it again and then to a partner.

• If possible…create an image. Offer drawings, gestures, or dramatization. It moves the meaning of a new word from an abstract to concrete thought.

• Infuse targeted vocabulary throughout the day to provide sustained rehearsal.

• Develop context: Return to the place in the book where the word was encountered.

• Decontextualize: Extend the meaning of the word to a different content .

Choosing VocabularyChoosing Vocabulary• Choose 2-3 words per story• Choose words that might need clarification

so they don’t obstruct children’s comprehension

• Choose Tier 2 words: Words that characterize written text. Learners are less likely to run into these words as they listen to daily language.

• Choose words that will have the most ”mileage”

ExampleExample

• Click, Clack, Moo: Cow That Type, Doreen Cronin

strike neutral

impatient ultimatum

furious exchangedemand

ExampleExample

• Stellaluna, Janell Cannon sultry

scentclutched

clamberedgracefullyanxiousaeculiar

ExampleExample

• Two Bad Ants, Chris Van Allsburg swiftly

remarkableeager

delicatevanishedunaware

calmstunned

Before ReadingBefore Reading

• Launch of the book

• Build background knowledge

• Set the thinking job

• Set the comprehension questions

• Summarize what was read the day before…if appropriate

Anchor Charts for ReadingAnchor Charts for Reading

During ReadingDuring Reading

• Use think-alouds and think-turn-talk stops that are flagged in the book to model your thinking in order to develop comprehension skills for your students and to guide their thinking in order to answer the comprehension questions.

• Explain vocabulary as you encounter it in the book….a brief explanation as to not interrupt comprehension.

Think AloudsThink Alouds

• Make your thinking visible as an excellent reader and thinker for your students

• Find a way to signal you are doing your own thinking

Think-Turn-TalkThink-Turn-Talk

• Students turn and talk with a partner about a specific question/purpose

• Explicitly teach the routine to students before the read aloud

• Have partners planned ahead of time

QuestionsQuestions

Types of QuestionsTypes of Questions

• Factual

• Inferential

• Opinion

• Text to self

• Text to text

• Prediction

• Authorship

• Vocabulary

Sample QuestionsSample Questions

Factual Questions:

•Where does this story take place?

•What kind of bird is this?

Text to Self Questions:

•How would you feel if that happened to you?

•What would you have done differently?

Comprehension StrategiesComprehension Strategies

Comprehension strategies are a major goal of interactive read alouds.

• Using prior knowledge• Asking questions

• Making predictions• Making connections

• Comparing and contrasting

Question RemindersQuestion Reminders

• Be sure to have different levels of questions prepared for different levels your students

• For students that have difficulty answering questions:

- Do not just say you will come back to them

- Give them choices for the answers (2-3)

- If needed, give them the answer and have

them repeat it back to you

ScaffoldingScaffolding

• Minimal scaffold: Either/or reducing choices

• Moderate scaffold: Cloze prompt…for final word (start the word for student)

• Intense scaffold: Say…to elicit answer

After ReadingAfter Reading

• Guide students in a discussion using higher order questions (this may not happen in everyday)

• Review and reinforce targeted skill

• Ensure that all students have the opportunity to respond

ExtensionsExtensions

• Dramatizing story

• Dramatic play

• Puppets

• Story baskets

• Thinking maps

• Graphic organizers

• Work Stations

Dramatizing StoriesDramatizing Stories

Dramatic PlayDramatic Play

PuppetsPuppets

Story BasketsStory Baskets

Thinking MapsThinking Maps

Graphic OrganizersGraphic Organizers

Work StationsWork Stations

Important to remember!Important to remember!

Too many strategies, too much new

vocabulary and too many questions will take away from the

book!

Choose carefully and purposefully!

Time to Plan!Time to Plan!

There is a book on your table. As a group, plan for your read aloud using the Planning for a Read-Aloud template you

have in your packet.

ResourcesResources

Thank you!Thank you!