Shared reading allows students to actively participate in reading texts that they cannot yet read on their own. Share reading helps students learn about concepts of print-how reading works. During shared reading, students follow along and read a text aloud with the teacher. Typically the teacher models and students and teacher re-read the text numerous times. Materials can include "big books," individual /shared copies of the same easy picture book, chart stories (including teacher or class generated texts), experiences stories, poems, or song lyrics. Texts may be in print or electronic form (i.e., digital texts on a computer). Often texts used for shared reading have a repeating or predictable pattern. During or after reading, the teacher may highlight concepts of print, teaching students "how reading works" such as reading left to right, attending to punctuation, noticing how letters and words work in text:
"Where should we begin reading?"
"The boy's name in this story is Tom. Can you find the word Tom? How do you know?(Starts with "t" upper case "T"...)
"This is a question mark to let us know this is an asking sentence. Let's read it again so that it sounds like we are asking."
Goals of shared reading include to:
Examples of shared reading routines for elementary age emergent readers
1. Teacher points to words on chart and leads "reading" of chants and songs during opening circle or calendar time. For example, "Days of the week song," to the tune of "The Addams Family:"
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DAYS OF THE WEEK There's Sunday |
2. Read "big books" or projected pages of digital picture books together. Read a page as you point to each word. Invite students to re-read the same page together with you as you point to each word again and "lead" fluent reading with your voice. Re-read some familiar and favorite books together each day. Leave out some key words or ending words or patterns and allow student voices to fill in as you point (E.g., "Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see? I see a blue ____ looking at me. "Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see? I see a red bird ___________ __ __.".
3. Provide individual copies of the same easy pattern text to an individual or small group of students. Preview the book together (e.g., take a picture walk and discuss what it may be about, make connections to experience or background knowledge, point out and practice a repeating pattern together). "Echo read" each page, pointing to each word. Students point to each word in their books as you read a page aloud. The students then "echo" your reading-they re-read the same page (sentence) aloud with you, pointing to each word as they read. Consider pattern texts where only one or a few words change each page and the pictures provide clues. For example, one of the early pattern picture books might read like this (one sentence/page with supporting picture).
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I can run. |
I can jump. |
4. After reading aloud or shared reading, present the same pattern and invite students to share ideas to construct original pattern sentences. Write each student's sentence on a chart as you read aloud. Point and have students re-read each sentence aloud with you (and previous cumulative sentences). (Post and re-read some of these charts together each day before reading a new book or during opening routine.)
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I Can I can dance. I can I can I can I can |
Examples of shared reading routines for secondary emergent readers:
1. Teacher points to words on chart and leads "reading" of chants and songs with small or full group. For example, "show tunes" or popular song lyrics (or just the "chorus"):
(Insert sample charts here)
2. Read large print picture books or projected pages of digital picture books together (commercial or teacher made). Read a page as you point to each word. Invite students to re-read the same page together with you as you point to each word again and "lead" fluent reading with your voice. Re-read some familiar and favorite books together each day. Leave out some key words or ending words or patterns and allow student voices to fill in as you point. An easy teacher made picture book (Powerpoint in digital or print form) might have the following text (one sentence/ page with supporting photos).
Kobe Bryant
Kobe runs.
Kobe jumps.
Kobe passes.
Kobe dribbles.
Kobe shoots.
Kobe scores!
3. Provide individual copies of the same easy pattern text to a pair or small group of students. Preview the book together (e.g., take a "picture walk" and discuss what it may be about, connections to experience or background knowledge, point out and practice a repeating pattern together). "Echo read" each page First the teacher reads a sentence aloud pointing to each word. Students follow and point to each word in their books as you read a page aloud. Then the students read the same page (sentence) aloud with you (echoing), pointing to each word as they read. For emergent readers, choose pattern texts where only one or a few words change each page and the pictures provide clues. Consider (or construct) nonfiction books with photos or realistic pictures. For example an easy picture book might read like this:
Horses
Some horses are fast.
Some horses are strong.
Some horses are tall.
Some horses are short.
Some horses run.
Some horses jump.
4. After reading aloud or shared reading, present the same pattern and invite students to share ideas to construct original pattern sentences. Write each student's sentence on a chart as you read aloud. Point and have students re-read each sentence aloud with you (and previous cumulative sentences). (Post and re-read some of these charts together each day before reading a new book or during opening routine.) For example after a non fiction read aloud about dolphins, the teacher presented an incomplete chart, which individual students contributed responses to.
(Insert sample charts here)
One of the challenges for working with older emergent readers is finding materials that reflect age appropriate interests and content. Here are a few ideas: