Just letting kids be aware that read aloud is a time for thinking and discussing gives them the opportunity to check their understanding and be more engaged in the reading. What are some strategies you use in your classroom during read aloud? Speaking "We are here to listen to the story and share our thoughts about the characters and what is happening to them. What we do in Socratic Seminar, we will also be doing during read aloud." Listening, Speaking, Reading then Writing. Those are the levels of understanding that we work hard to achieve in our classrooms. After spending 5 years teaching fifth graders, I learned that children around this age still have difficulty explaining their thinking in a concise and organized way. Although we know that kids love to talk, few know that they actually need practice speaking so that they convey what they are thinking. Reiterating and Questioning: When I hear a child having difficulty explaining their thinking, I tend to reiterate what I think they are trying to say. It's important for children to have a model example of how to speak especially when in a situation where there is a group conversation and others want to express their thoughts, too. Unfortunately, we don't have all day and it's important to get it out quick and easy! Do not be afraid to tell your students that this is a time where you will be helping them to practice speaking. Reading Comprehension "Remember boys and girls, the reading strategies we talk about and practice during read aloud are the same strategies we should be using when we read books on our own." Questioning and Using Text Evidence: When I first started teaching, I was afraid to call a student out for sharing a prediction that made absolutely no sense with what was happening in the story. I thought, well how can a prediction be criticized since everyone knows it will soon be confirmed or denied anyway. Also, I felt bad telling a kid their prediction was definitely not going to happen. Later in my career, I realized that I was doing children a disservice by always "agreeing" that their prediction could possibly take place in the story. So I began asking kids to give me evidence from the story that would support their prediction. If they had trouble coming up with evidence, I then suggested they revise their prediction. Oftentimes, just by asking for evidence students will revise their predictions right away. Also, if I don't respond at all, other students will chime in and explain how that probably wouldn't happen because of xyz in the story. Thinking Aloud: Even if I had read the book before, I am, of course, always thinking about the reading. I find it extremely beneficial to share with students what goes on in my mind during read aloud. This can start conversation or, at the very least, make the kids aware that I am actually thinking while reading. I make connections with other texts, share what I am visualizing, discuss things that happened earlier in the story or anything that comes to mind really. It is a great example to show children that we don't just absentmindedly read through stories! Sometimes I will even ask the students what they were thinking during a certain part of the story just because I am curious.
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Julia GrahamDaughter of the King, wife and mother, former upper elementary teacher, curriculum and course developer Archives
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