An Introduction An Introduction to Learning, to Learning,

Literacy,Literacy,&&

Read AloudsRead Alouds

Effective Teachers Effective Teachers Understand How Understand How Students LearnStudents Learn

Review of Chapter 1Review of Chapter 1

ConstructivismConstructivism Students relate what they know to what they’re Students relate what they know to what they’re

learning.learning. Students create their own knowledge.Students create their own knowledge. Motivated students are more successful.Motivated students are more successful.

Cognitive/Information ProcessingCognitive/Information Processing Reading and Writing are Meaning-Making Reading and Writing are Meaning-Making

ProcessesProcesses Readers’ Interpretations are IndividualizedReaders’ Interpretations are Individualized Readers and Writers are StrategicReaders and Writers are StrategicChapter 1: Chapter 1: Literacy for the 21Literacy for the 21stst Century. Century.

The Read AloudThe Read Aloud

In In Becoming a Nation of ReadersBecoming a Nation of Readers, the report of the National , the report of the National Commission on Reading states that the single most Commission on Reading states that the single most important activity for building the knowledge required for important activity for building the knowledge required for eventual success is reading aloud to students.eventual success is reading aloud to students.

Read Aloud is a Read Aloud is a strategy strategy in which a teacher sets aside in which a teacher sets aside time to read orally to students on a consistent basis time to read orally to students on a consistent basis from texts above their independent reading level but from texts above their independent reading level but at their listening level.at their listening level.

Anderson, R.C., Hiebert, E. H., Scott, J.A. & Wilkinson, I.A.G. (1985). Anderson, R.C., Hiebert, E. H., Scott, J.A. & Wilkinson, I.A.G. (1985). Becoming a nation of readers. The report of Becoming a nation of readers. The report of the Commission on Reading.the Commission on Reading. Washington DC: National Academy of Education, Commission on Education and Washington DC: National Academy of Education, Commission on Education and Public Policy.Public Policy.

Provides opportunities for Provides opportunities for students to…students to…

Employ logical thinkingEmploy logical thinking Make predictionsMake predictions Make inferencesMake inferences

Develop sequencing skillsDevelop sequencing skills Story EventsStory Events Character DevelopmentCharacter Development Cause-effectCause-effect

Categorize and sort informationCategorize and sort information Within a storyWithin a story Between storiesBetween stories Between charactersBetween characters

Provides Opportunities for Provides Opportunities for Students to…(cont.)Students to…(cont.)

Categorize and sort informationCategorize and sort information Within a storyWithin a story Between storiesBetween stories Between charactersBetween characters

Incorporate all higher thinking skillsIncorporate all higher thinking skills Bloom’s Taxonomy

Introduce writing rulesIntroduce writing rules Left/right-top/bottom progressionLeft/right-top/bottom progression PunctuationPunctuation Meaning in textMeaning in text

Provides Opportunities for Provides Opportunities for Students to… (cont.)Students to… (cont.)

Develop EmpathyDevelop Empathy Characters’ FeelingsCharacters’ Feelings Characters’ PredicamentsCharacters’ Predicaments Cultural celebrations and traditionsCultural celebrations and traditions

Broaden vocabulary developmentBroaden vocabulary development Word meaningsWord meanings Phonemic awarenessPhonemic awareness Word patterns/ryhymingWord patterns/ryhyming

Source: www.Primarily-Kids.comSource: www.Primarily-Kids.com

We Read Aloud ToWe Read Aloud To

Start the dayStart the day Support reading and writing mini lessonsSupport reading and writing mini lessons Introduce new units of studyIntroduce new units of study Support social studies and science curriculumSupport social studies and science curriculum Teach reading/writing strategiesTeach reading/writing strategies Help students talk and think about textsHelp students talk and think about texts Open up new worldsOpen up new worlds Familiarize students with text structures and Familiarize students with text structures and

genresgenres

Reading aloud to Reading aloud to students allows the students allows the

teacher to:teacher to: Model the reading process.Model the reading process.

Think aloud.Think aloud.

Model fluent and expressive reading.Model fluent and expressive reading.

Review text structure.Review text structure.

Facilitate comprehension to beginning and Facilitate comprehension to beginning and intermediate readers including English intermediate readers including English Language Learners.Language Learners.

Provide interactions with a variety of texts.Provide interactions with a variety of texts.

Make connections.Make connections.

Preparing for the Read Preparing for the Read AloudAloud

Choose Choose high interest high interest texts that are above texts that are above students’ students’ independent reading level independent reading level and at and at their their listening level.listening level.

Pre-read and re-read selectionPre-read and re-read selection

Consider reading goals (Refer to Essential Consider reading goals (Refer to Essential Learning Requirements)Learning Requirements)

Identify the process and strategy information Identify the process and strategy information (at work in the text).(at work in the text).

Anticipate where background knowledge Anticipate where background knowledge needs to be built.needs to be built.

Teacher PreparationTeacher Preparation

Highlight places to stop, question, make Highlight places to stop, question, make predictions, or make connections.predictions, or make connections.

Write discussion questions before the Write discussion questions before the lesson.lesson.

Practice reading the selection using Practice reading the selection using gestures and voice intonation.gestures and voice intonation.

Plan before, during, and after reading Plan before, during, and after reading activities to enhance comprehension.activities to enhance comprehension.

Before readingBefore reading

Identify author, title, setting, characters, and/or Identify author, title, setting, characters, and/or background.background.

Open up conversation about prior/common Open up conversation about prior/common knowledge as it relates to the text.knowledge as it relates to the text.

Picture WalkPicture Walk

““The more we frontload students’ knowledge of a text The more we frontload students’ knowledge of a text and help them become actively involved in and help them become actively involved in constructing meaning prior to reading, the more constructing meaning prior to reading, the more engaged they are likely to be as they read the text.”engaged they are likely to be as they read the text.”

Beers, K. (2003). Beers, K. (2003). When kids can’t read, what teachers can do. When kids can’t read, what teachers can do. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. P.101.Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. P.101.

During ReadingDuring Reading

Read the storyRead the story

Ask open-ended questions related to the Ask open-ended questions related to the objectives of the read aloud.objectives of the read aloud.

Connect the story with the students.Connect the story with the students.

Review the story.Review the story.

Follow-up with bridge activity.Follow-up with bridge activity.

Today’s Read AloudToday’s Read Aloud

11stst grade class grade class

Studying the four seasonsStudying the four seasons

Background KnowledgeBackground Knowledge

Making PredictionsMaking Predictions

Discussion following textDiscussion following text

Follow up ActivityFollow up Activity

HandoutsHandouts