Shared Reading
"Shared Reading is an interactive reading experience that occurs when students join in or share the reading of a book or other text while guided and supported by a teacher" (Reading Rockets, 2015). During a shared reading, the teacher models skills that proficient readers use while reading, such as, reading fluently and with expression. The teacher gradually releases responsibility so that students begin to see themselves as co-readers. According to Wright (2015), "Shared reading provides teachers with opportunities to teach important concepts of print, demonstrate strategies that good readers use, and involve students as a community of readers". When choosing texts for shared reading, the books should contain rhymes, rhythm, and include repetition of words, phrases, and language patterns. Also, "The text should more closely resemble grade-level reading materials but contain illustrations or other features to facilitate comprehension" (Wright, 2015).
How to Use Shared Reading (Reading Rockets, 2015):
During Shared Reading students are learning to (Shared Reading, 2014):
The shared reading strategy is effective because it allows teachers the opportunity to:
How to Use Shared Reading (Reading Rockets, 2015):
- The teacher introduces the story by discussing the cover, title, author and illustrator. At this time, students can make predictions about what the story will possibly be about.
- While using good reading skills, the teacher reads the story aloud while asking questions.
- Once completing the story, ask students questions to deepen their understandings and to make connections.
- The teacher can reread the story or allow students to read it independently/in pairs.
During Shared Reading students are learning to (Shared Reading, 2014):
- track print from left to right and word by word
- predict and infer
- enjoy and participate in reading with a high level of support
- build a sense of story
- expand their vocabulary
- find letters and sounds in context
- attend to concepts of print
- sequence the events of a story
- focus on story elements
The shared reading strategy is effective because it allows teachers the opportunity to:
- Model what fluent reading sounds and looks like
- Build connections: text to text, text to self, text to world
- Helps students practice strategies for comprehension
- Helps students transition from fluent modeling to semi-fluent independent reading
- Students gain knowledge about themselves and the world
This image shows an elementary classroom using the shared reading strategy. The students are raising their hands and interacting with the teacher to get a deeper comprehension of the book they are reading.
This image is an example of the shared reading strategy. For students who are just learning to read, the teacher tracks the text by pointing to each word as she reads using her finger, or a pointer. As students become familiar with the text, they join in, and share in the reading (Wright, 2015). This image is showing a student "sharing" in the reading, by using a pointer as a tracker as the group reads.
This video is explaining and giving examples of the shared reading strategy. It's showing the strategy being used in a whole class setting, where all of the students are able to see the same 'big book' text. It's enabling the students to follow along, read along, and enjoy a book that they may not be able to read independently. The strategy also reinforces literacy skills as well as comprehension strategies to later apply in guided or independent reading.
Content Area Examples:
Type of Learner:
Shared reading is a strategy that works well for beginner and at-risk readers. This strategy allows students to see and understand what a good reader looks and sounds like as well as what is needed to help students comprehend. While the teacher reads aloud, the students are following along with the teachers finger or pointer as it points to each word being read. This allows students to see and connect words to the words that are read as well as getting a model of what a good readers does while they read.
Content Area Examples:
- During a science lesson, students could engage in a shared reading on a poem about spiders. The teacher could display the poem on the SMART Board and read it aloud. After the first reading, the students and the teacher could chorally reread the poem. "Choral reading provides opportunities for student to practice expressive reading, develop new vocabulary and language structures, become aware of complex literary texts, and develop awareness of the ways particular words and phrases are stressed....Students will not be singled out because their voices blend in with the other students" (Wright, 2015)
- "The language of social studies focuses on abstract concepts, but the field itself offers a wide variety of visuals that can help make instruction more comprehensible" (Wright, 2015). During a social studies lesson, the teacher could use the shared reading strategy to teach students about Minnesota. While reading a book on Minnesota history, the teacher would read the story as the students answer questions about the story. Then the students could chorally reread the story as a whole.
- At the beginning of the school year, the teacher could use the shared reading strategy as a way to make connections with students' feelings about the first days of school. For example, the teacher could read the big book, First Day Jitters. During the second read, the teacher could have a student point to each of the words on the pages. "In the early elementary grades, teachers often have big books, which are over sized versions of books they can use to engage students with the text and illustrations." (Wright, 2015)
- During a health lesson, a teacher could use this strategy to teach a bus safety lesson. Each students would receive the same text as the teacher. While the teacher reads, the students follow along in their own books. During the shared reading, the teacher asks questions and students raise their hands to share comments or connections. "Even books at higher reading levels can be make accessible to lower level readers through the scaffolding provided by the teacher during shared reading" (Wright, 2015).
Type of Learner:
Shared reading is a strategy that works well for beginner and at-risk readers. This strategy allows students to see and understand what a good reader looks and sounds like as well as what is needed to help students comprehend. While the teacher reads aloud, the students are following along with the teachers finger or pointer as it points to each word being read. This allows students to see and connect words to the words that are read as well as getting a model of what a good readers does while they read.
Visualizing
Visualizing is a strategy, "where readers create images in their minds that reflect or represent the ideas in the text" (Into the Book, 2015). Students can use this strategy before, during, or after reading. "Reading becomes more personal and relevant as students construct their unique images. In addition, mental imagery helps students to become comfortable reading text without pictures because they create pictures in their own minds" (Jennings, Caldwell & Lerner, 2014). The images that are created while visualizing may include any of the five senses and enhance a student's understanding of the text" (Into the Book, 2015). Visualizing requires students to be actively engaged, thus improves comprehension. "The ability to visualize can be an indication that a reader understands the text. Research suggests that readers who visualize as they read are better able to recall what they have read than are those who do not visualize" (Reading Rockets, 2015).
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How to use Visualizing (Reading Rockets, 2015):
Follow these few simple steps to provide practice developing students' mental images:
Before reading aloud to students, offer the suggestions below (Opening the Door, 2015)
Follow these few simple steps to provide practice developing students' mental images:
- Begin reading. Pause after a few sentences or paragraphs that contain good descriptive information.
- Share the image you've created in your mind, and talk about which words from the book helped you "draw" your picture. Your picture can relate to the setting, the characters, or the actions. By doing this, you are modeling the kind of picture making you want your child to do.
- Talk about how these pictures help you understand what's happening in the story.
- Continue reading. Pause again and share the new image you created. Then ask your child to share what he sees, hears, tastes, smells and feels. Ask what words helped him create the mental image and emotions. By doing this, you are providing your child with practice with this new skill.
- Are your images identical? Probably not! This is a great time to talk about why your images might be different. Perhaps your child went on a school field trip or had a school assembly that changed the way they created the picture in their mind. Perhaps experiences you've had as an adult influenced what you "drew." These differences are important to understand and respect.
- Read a longer portion of text and continue the sharing process.
- Once this is a familiar skill, encourage your child to use mental imagery when she is reading by herself. You can feel confident that these mental pictures will help your child understand the story in an important way.
Before reading aloud to students, offer the suggestions below (Opening the Door, 2015)
- Direct students to close their eyes and listen.
- Have students think and try to make connections to what is going to happen in the story.
- Try to imagine the scene and the words you are hearing, such as if you were making a movie. What would you see behind the camera?
Click the link to the right to try a visualizing activities! |
This image is showing a student using the visualizing strategy while reading. She is making connections from her own lived experiences to help create a mental "image" in her mind. While she is reading, she is looking for describing words (adjectives) to assist her visualizing skills.
The anchor chart to the left shows a student creating visual images in his mind while reading. When teaching students to visualize, it's helpful for them to remember: "I see what I read. I feel what I read. It's like a movie in my mind."
The link below will take you to a video that demonstrates a visualizing lesson through co-teaching. The two teachers are modeling a method of how to recognize and connect with different words read in the story. The students are asked to give a thumbs up when they make a connection and visualize the words in their minds. |
Content area examples:
- During a language arts lesson, the visualizing strategy could be used to accompany a read aloud. While reading the book, the teacher could prompt students to listen for key words that will help them create their own picture in their mind. At the end of each page, students could put their hand on their head if they were able to visualize the text from that page. Students could share their "images" created with classmates. "Comparing their mental images is both enjoyable and instructive for students. When students realize that no two people see precisely the same thing, they learn to value personal response in reading" (Jennings, Caldwell & Lerner, 2014).
- Most students have negative attitudes toward running the mile. Therefore, the visualizing strategy could help students to prepare for it. Prior to running the mile, the teacher could have students visualizing themselves being successful doing it. For example, direct students to close their eyes, imagine themselves beginning to run the mile, and doing well.
- In science, a teacher could use visualizing to help students learn about different climates. For example, first have the students close their eyes. While their eyes are closed, the teacher will thoroughly describe a tundra climate. Teachers can help students make connections to the climate by using words to describe winter in Minnesota (frigid, frozen, crisp air, boots).
- While reading a book in history about WWII, students could put themselves in different characters' shoes by visualizing. When learning about the Holocaust, students could try to imagine what it would be like living in one room with their whole family.
Type of Learner:
Visualizing is a great strategy for all kinds of learners. At-risk students can use visualization to help them make connections to what is being read to them. This also helps beginner readers as well as emergent readers. All readers need to be able to create images in their mind about what they are reading in order to connect and understand what it is their reading. This strategy is particularly helpful for beginner readers who can listen to a story being read and visualize what is happening in order to develop and strengthen their comprehension skills.
References for Shared Reading:
Jennings, J. H., Caldwell, J. S., Lerner, J.W. (2014). Reading Problems: Assessment and Teaching Strategies. Boston: Pearson.
Reading Rockets. (2015). Retrieved October 13, 2015, from http://www.readingrockets.org/
Shared Reading. (2014). Retrieved October 13, 2015, from http://www.hubbardscupboard.org/shared_reading.html
Wright, W. E. (2015). Foundations for teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice. Philadelphia: Caslon Pub.
Images/Videos:
http://sites.ed.gov/progress/files/2015/03/classroom-reading.jpg
https://innovativeteachers.wikispaces.com/Shared+Reading+RF
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfGjgOc-rJw
References for Visualizing:
Into the Book: Teaching Reading Comprehension Strategies. (2015). Retrieved October 20, 2015, from http://reading.ecb.org/
Jennings, J. H., Caldwell, J. S., Lerner, J.W. (2014). Reading Problems: Assessment and Teaching Strategies. Boston: Pearson.
Opening the Door: Teaching Students to Use Visualization to Improve Comprehension. (2015). Retrieved October 20, 2015, from http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/profdev/profdev094.shtml
Reading Rockets. (2015). Retrieved October 13, 2015, from http://www.readingrockets.org/
Images/Videos:
http://chatt.hdsb.ca/~robertsonch/S07D7C83B.1/Emily_visualizing.jpg
https://mcdn1.teacherspayteachers.com/thumbitem/Visualizing-Poster-and-Handout/original-599047-1.jpg
http://reading.ecb.org/professionallearning/visualizing.html