Most teachers are familiar with working with small groups of students through guided reading. Recently a number of teachers have adopted the concept for math. Working with small groups is not a new idea, but how many teachers apply it to writing?
Guided writing allows a teacher to work closely with a small group of students based on a common need. During a guided writing lesson, a teacher might gather a small group and model writing, or maybe they will complete a shared writing experience together. Guided writing lessons give teachers the opportunity to bring together students who are struggling with similar skills for a mini-lesson, or a re-teaching session.
Guided writing, like guided reading and guided math, takes students where they begin and helps them grow as writers. Guided writing affords a chance to model peer critiquing by turning the small group into a critique circle. The possibilities are endless, and the best part is guided writing fits neatly into writing workshop.
During writing workshop the teacher spends time conferencing with each student individually. Many teachers become frustrated with long lines of children wanting their attention. Everyone wants their turn, and there is only one of you. The writing portion of writing workshop needs to be organized in such a way the teacher is able to spend quality time with students without feeling as if they are being pulled in ten different directions at once.
Begin by setting up individual conference baskets. Students who are ready for a conference place their piece in the basket, and go back to their desk to work on a different piece. Take a little time each day to quickly read through papers and make sticky notes for conference discussions. Stick to the idea of two stars and a wish: two stars represent two good things you find in their paper, and a wish is one thing to go back and make improvements on. This technique keeps matters simple, doesn’t overwhelm students, and can be taught to students for peer critiquing.
During writing workshop, spend half of your time in one-on-one conferencing, and the other half in a guided writing lesson. Establish a ground rule that if a student wants or needs a conference they should place their paper in the basket. They should expect to wait until the following day for their turn. In the meantime, they should work on another piece. Keep a conference checklist to make sure you are visiting with each student once or twice a week.
Prior to your guided writing session, quickly make the rounds, and check to determine each student is on task. Prior to beginning individual conferences and guided writing, train your students to form peer critique groups. They can help each other while you work with a small group. Do not allow students to interrupt your lesson unless it is a true emergency. Deal with off task behaviors after the session.
You can pull groups together for a number of reasons. Perhaps you have a group of struggling writers who can’t put two sentences together. You might have a group of students who need a boost to get their writing over the top. After assessing your student’s writing, you might find a small group who continuously write the word “I” in lowercase. This is your opportunity for a quick mini-lesson with a small, flexible group.
Don’t feel the need to rotate groups. Select students based on a common need. Meet with one or two groups during each writing workshop session. Try to include every student in a guided writing group at least once every couple of weeks. Your talented writers need special attention as well. They may benefit from learning a new writing technique the rest of the class isn’t ready to tackle yet.
You will find when you organize your time and readily prepare your students, your writing workshop time will become more productive. The small group creates a focused intensity lacking in a whole class lesson, or even quick one-on-one conferences. This is a time to write and share together. Think of guided writing as “breakout” sessions. This is your chance to differentiate and meet individual needs. It also creates a tighter writing community within your classroom as students learn to listen and share their writing. Guided writing is one way of bringing together students with a common need for a shared writing experience.
©2008 Effective Teaching Article Reprint for Teaching eVentures Archives
Lisa Frase
Saturday, 26 July 2008
Literacy Coaching - A Partnership for Growth
Along with many other reading specialists my job title changed to literacy coach a few years ago. My focus changed from working directly with students to working mainly with classroom teachers to strengthen instruction. That’s a big change with significant implications for everyone involved.
Literacy coaching has been a growing practice in many areas for the past several years. The role and the qualifications of the coach vary among school districts. It can also look different from school to school within a district depending on the culture and climate, and the needs within each building. There is also a wide range of opinions about the sustainability of the model: from those who view it as a trend that will fade and make way for the next one, to those who think that it truly allows for ongoing professional development as a natural part of the school day. So, which is it, and what makes the difference? There have been several books and numerous articles written about literacy coaching, and the International Reading Association has a position statement on it. What most practitioners and researchers seem to agree on is that coaching is built on relationships. I would like to share some thoughts about the conditions that create a successful coaching relationship and what that looks like.
A Shared Vision of the Role of the Coach
Before the coach ever walks into the classroom, everyone involved, including classroom teachers, coaches, and administrators, has to understand the goals of the coaching model and the responsibilities of each participant in the process. For example, if a school has made a new or renewed commitment to a reading/writing workshop model, the coach’s role might be to meet with the classroom teacher to work out, collaboratively, where the teacher is in that process and how the coach can help to make implementation more successful. This might be followed by the coach demonstrating practices, such as rituals and routines,that need to be in place for a workshop model to succeed. This stage would most likely be followed by co-teaching including the practices that the coach has already demonstrated. When the teacher is prepared to implement an agreed upon strategy or practice independently, the coach might provide specific feedback about evidence of student learning and possible next steps. This is very different from a coach just appearing in a classroom with a real, or metaphorical, clipboard and taking mysterious notes. In my opinion, there is no place for mystery in coaching. The classroom teacher and the coach should be in agreement on their goals, because they have developed them together. Ideally, the principal has an understanding of the work that the coach is doing with specific teachers or grade levels, and how this work fits in with the overall mission and vision of the school.
Mutual Trust and Respect
The coaching relationship develops gradually, but steadily, if it is experienced as a partnership. As the classroom teacher and coach have multiple opportunities to share, plan, co-teach, and observe each other’s work, trust grows with each conversation. For example, after conferencing with students during a writers’ workshop, the coach and teacher might share what they learned about individual students as writers, as well as what they each learned about the art of conferencing. The classroom teacher will feel safer sharing concerns and frustrations if the coach is open enough to do the same at times, with the emphasis on problem-solving. The experience of questioning and reflecting on successes and challenges together, focused on student learning, fosters respect and trust. Of course, confidentiality plays a critical role here. The principal or other colleagues may want to know what areas the teacher and coach are working on, but the day to day journey is private.
Flexibility and Maintenance
No matter how successful the journey, we may need rest stops along the way. The load that classroom teachers carry is always great, but there are times when one more strategy, graphic organizer, or “helpful” resource is anything but. As coaches, we need to have the sensitivity to recognize those times and the flexibility to continue to offer support for what the teacher is already doing without bringing anything new to the table. In the long run, that flexibility will do more to maintain the relationship than a constant barrage of new information.
We still have so much to learn about literacy coaching. What seems clear is that high quality professional relationships are essential relationships that are based on a shared vision, respect, trust, and flexibility. With these conditions in place, I think that we can provide a strong foundation for teacher and student growth.
©2007 Effective Teaching Article Reprint for Teaching eVentures Archives
Janice Ewing
Literacy coaching has been a growing practice in many areas for the past several years. The role and the qualifications of the coach vary among school districts. It can also look different from school to school within a district depending on the culture and climate, and the needs within each building. There is also a wide range of opinions about the sustainability of the model: from those who view it as a trend that will fade and make way for the next one, to those who think that it truly allows for ongoing professional development as a natural part of the school day. So, which is it, and what makes the difference? There have been several books and numerous articles written about literacy coaching, and the International Reading Association has a position statement on it. What most practitioners and researchers seem to agree on is that coaching is built on relationships. I would like to share some thoughts about the conditions that create a successful coaching relationship and what that looks like.
A Shared Vision of the Role of the Coach
Before the coach ever walks into the classroom, everyone involved, including classroom teachers, coaches, and administrators, has to understand the goals of the coaching model and the responsibilities of each participant in the process. For example, if a school has made a new or renewed commitment to a reading/writing workshop model, the coach’s role might be to meet with the classroom teacher to work out, collaboratively, where the teacher is in that process and how the coach can help to make implementation more successful. This might be followed by the coach demonstrating practices, such as rituals and routines,that need to be in place for a workshop model to succeed. This stage would most likely be followed by co-teaching including the practices that the coach has already demonstrated. When the teacher is prepared to implement an agreed upon strategy or practice independently, the coach might provide specific feedback about evidence of student learning and possible next steps. This is very different from a coach just appearing in a classroom with a real, or metaphorical, clipboard and taking mysterious notes. In my opinion, there is no place for mystery in coaching. The classroom teacher and the coach should be in agreement on their goals, because they have developed them together. Ideally, the principal has an understanding of the work that the coach is doing with specific teachers or grade levels, and how this work fits in with the overall mission and vision of the school.
Mutual Trust and Respect
The coaching relationship develops gradually, but steadily, if it is experienced as a partnership. As the classroom teacher and coach have multiple opportunities to share, plan, co-teach, and observe each other’s work, trust grows with each conversation. For example, after conferencing with students during a writers’ workshop, the coach and teacher might share what they learned about individual students as writers, as well as what they each learned about the art of conferencing. The classroom teacher will feel safer sharing concerns and frustrations if the coach is open enough to do the same at times, with the emphasis on problem-solving. The experience of questioning and reflecting on successes and challenges together, focused on student learning, fosters respect and trust. Of course, confidentiality plays a critical role here. The principal or other colleagues may want to know what areas the teacher and coach are working on, but the day to day journey is private.
Flexibility and Maintenance
No matter how successful the journey, we may need rest stops along the way. The load that classroom teachers carry is always great, but there are times when one more strategy, graphic organizer, or “helpful” resource is anything but. As coaches, we need to have the sensitivity to recognize those times and the flexibility to continue to offer support for what the teacher is already doing without bringing anything new to the table. In the long run, that flexibility will do more to maintain the relationship than a constant barrage of new information.
We still have so much to learn about literacy coaching. What seems clear is that high quality professional relationships are essential relationships that are based on a shared vision, respect, trust, and flexibility. With these conditions in place, I think that we can provide a strong foundation for teacher and student growth.
©2007 Effective Teaching Article Reprint for Teaching eVentures Archives
Janice Ewing
Learner Centered Classrooms
Learner centered classrooms are often described by onlookers as chaotic get-togethers where students seem to be doing more socializing than learning. Those running learner centered classrooms know this is far from true, and, in fact, 2004 Rice Pre-AP Institute reports “students retain 90% of learning taking place in hands-on classrooms versus 5% of lecture driven classrooms.”
Think back to your own school experiences. Which classes did you enjoy? Are there lessons you remember due to learning concepts through songs, poetry, acronyms, or projects? If so, did you enjoy your learning experiences more or less than traditional lecture classes? Did you learn from your teachers and from your peers?
Leading child psychologist Piaget reiterates “children learn from one another through socialization.” Collaborative groups help children to develop social skills and to learn from each other. Helping students to see different viewpoints and to negotiate with others on projects are skills needed throughout life—learner centered classrooms develop such skills.
What is the first step in developing learner centered classrooms? Choices—students need input in classroom decisions such as rule making, novels to be read, and projects for assessment purposes. Students love helping! Bulletin boards, overheads, writing assignments on the boards, and leading classes in group discussions are all items students can take ownership of.
Rule making is the first step in having a learner centered classroom. Let students have a voice the first week of school by developing their own classroom rules. Of course, there are some school rules which cannot be changed, but classroom rules can be flexible. Some include: taking off shoes, carrying backpacks to desks, chewing gum or bringing snacks, raising hands to answer questions, cell phones….
Begin the week by reading aloud The Secret Knowledge of Grown-ups by David Wisniewski to students. Next, have students choose a school rule to expand. Be creative! Are there students who could illustrate the rules while some write? This could begin your cooperative learning groups. And who knew parents wanted us to drink milk because atomic purple cows would explode if we didn’t? Sure, it sounds silly, but seeing rules from a different point of view will help students understand the need for guidelines.
If you are teaching a unit with a class novel included, could you begin with literature clubs? For example, a unit on science experiments could begin by students choosing from a variety of novels on leading scientists. Three to four similar novels are needed for literature clubs to get started. Scholastic Books allow teachers to earn points for book club sets by taking monthly book orders. Garage sales are another option for cheap, used books. Try library book sales as well. Libraries generally hold sales at least once a year. Harvey Daniels’ Literature Circles 1571103333:Product Link on Barnes & Noble.com. can help you get started, or try www.literaturecircles.com for literature club ideas and handouts.
Projects are the first items teachers think of when speaking of learner centered classrooms. Many different groups working on various projects do seem chaotic, but each group becomes an expert group on a specific project and, therefore, can answer future questions for others wanting to duplicate the projects. As the teacher, you are the facilitator, or coach. You travel from one group to the next making notes, reflecting, listening, helping when needed, and observing. Trial and error will occur, and students quickly take ownership in their projects. Be sure to include a day to share and ask questions. Students can grade others’ projects by building a generic class rubric beforehand. After all, shouldn’t students know how to receive an A on their projects?
Placing power in the hands of students is a positive experience. Explanations, debates, and discussions increase students’ learning, and you will quickly see students’ interests in topics blossom. Learner centered classrooms will change you and your students’ viewpoints on learning.
©2006 Effective Teaching Article Reprint for Teaching eVentures Archives
Beth Hammett
©2006 Effective Teaching Article Reprint for Teaching eVentures Archives
Beth Hammett
The Power of Poetry
Once upon a time I did a poetry unit at the end of the school year. We wrote cinquains and diamantes, and other patterned poetry. Every teacher I knew tortured their students in this way. It’s no wonder so many people hate poetry.
During high school I discovered free verse, and spent part of high school and college writing poems that reflected the many emotions and decisions of that time in my life. I wrote poems with joy and passion. I played with the language, letting it roll off my tongue and onto the paper. Poetry was therapy, and my first real glimpse into the beauty and power of words.
Teaching poetry was a different matter all together. How on earth did I translate a love for language and the passion to pen a poem to my students? I didn’t. Instead, I fell into the trap of doing what was done to me, and what everyone else was doing. Poetry became an end of the year filler unit after all of the important stuff had already been taught.
As time went on I had the opportunity to attend sessions on poetry at conferences, read a couple of books, and listen to the queen of poetry teachers, Georgia Heard. I began to think that my approach to poetry was wrong. I decided to include more poetry throughout the year. I searched for poems that enhanced social studies and science curriculum. My students studied poems by Robert Frost. They wrote Bio-poems, I Am poems, and Found poems. We were on our way to incorporating poetry throughout the curriculum. The huge collection of poetry books that had lived on my personal book shelf came out of hiding. Soon I added the reading of daily poems. I invited students to bring in poems that they enjoyed and read them aloud to the class. The excitement of this forced me to set up a schedule to accommodate all of my readers. The next natural step was to add a poem of the week. My students loved chorally read and dramatize our chose poem. I added poetry centers to my classroom. We moved from literature circles to poetry circles. Art became a springboard for writing poetry. I read Georgia Heard’s book, Awakening the Heart, and then taught my students to use her 6 Room Image Poem to help them brainstorm and write poetry. My classroom became consumed with poetry.
Poetry awakened a miracle. Students began writing poems on their own in their journals. They noticed the figurative language in poetry and transferred it to their story writing. My end of the year poetry unit emerged into an end of the year Poetry Elocution. Students read and performed their poems for delighted parents. We began a school tradition by hosting a Barnes and Noble Open Mic Poetry Night. Every year students bring their original poems and read them over the microphone in our community bookstore. The power of language has taken hold of my students, and from that has emerged amazing pieces of writing. The following three poems were written as a collective effort by former classes:
WHO ARE THEY?
In the misty air
The morning star climbs over the horizon
Kissing Mother Earth as it awakens
Who are they?
The wind tumbles and falls
As it sails past the mysterious faces
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
Shadows on the ground
Keeps Mother Earth warm
Who are they?
4th graders, 2003 – 3004
In the mist
of twilight,
the whispering wind
welcomes
the waves
crashing, crashing, crashing
against the shore.
Joyful and free
the sea turtles come
to lay new life in the sand.
4th graders, 2003 – 2004
Peaceful
deep, dark orange sunset
like butter melting on an earthly pancake
Reflection
of blueberry syrup on the ocean’s water
Seagulls
waiting for morning’s fill
2nd graders, 2005 – 2006
These poems are a sampling of the type of language that has occurred in the writing of my students. I believe that in order to get the language out of students, you must first get it into students. This can be accomplished through the power of poetry. Georgia Heard says that there is a poet in everyone. After immersing my students in poetry throughout the year, I have come to believe it with all of my heart.
©2006 Effective Teaching Article Reprint for Teaching eVentures Archives
Lisa Frase
In the misty air
The morning star climbs over the horizon
Kissing Mother Earth as it awakens
Who are they?
The wind tumbles and falls
As it sails past the mysterious faces
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
Shadows on the ground
Keeps Mother Earth warm
Who are they?
4th graders, 2003 – 3004
In the mist
of twilight,
the whispering wind
welcomes
the waves
crashing, crashing, crashing
against the shore.
Joyful and free
the sea turtles come
to lay new life in the sand.
4th graders, 2003 – 2004
Peaceful
deep, dark orange sunset
like butter melting on an earthly pancake
Reflection
of blueberry syrup on the ocean’s water
Seagulls
waiting for morning’s fill
2nd graders, 2005 – 2006
These poems are a sampling of the type of language that has occurred in the writing of my students. I believe that in order to get the language out of students, you must first get it into students. This can be accomplished through the power of poetry. Georgia Heard says that there is a poet in everyone. After immersing my students in poetry throughout the year, I have come to believe it with all of my heart.
©2006 Effective Teaching Article Reprint for Teaching eVentures Archives
Lisa Frase
The Basics of Reading Workshop
Gather your children on the floor, and open your reading workshop by reading a picture book out loud. Stop and think out loud about your thinking while you read. Chart your thinking on large chart paper. Discuss your thinking with your children. Send them to their places to read their independent books.
Grab your notebook and conference with individual children. Talk to them about their reading. Listen to them read. Ask them to tell you about the story. Do a quick running record. Make a note about their needs and interests. Gather a small group to a table. Guide them in a focused lesson on a strategy or skill that they need to help them become better readers.
Gather your children on the floor, and end your reading workshop by spending time sharing. Encourage children to share their reading successes and their new found strategies. Connect their learning together and help struggling readers learn from their peers. Focus on how good readers make meaning. Adjourn for the day with new hopes for tomorrow.
Reading Workshop begins with a mini-lesson using a short piece of anchor text. Focus your lesson on a strategy or skill from your curriculum objectives. Explicitly instruct by thinking out loud. Putting the thinking on paper is the visual transference. Children mimicking your model during their own independent reading is the independent practice.
In the middle of Reading Workshop comes individual conferences and guided reading with small, flexible groups. Quick one on one conferences provide you with valuable information for assessing and determining a child's strengths, weaknesses and instructional needs. Gathering a small group of children who need further instruction on the same strategy or skill is the guided reading portion of your workshop. During guided reading you might conduct a shared reading experiences, act as a support while they read instructional text aloud, provide hands-on manipulatives, or reinforce strategies through think alouds. Your flexible groups will form and disband as needed.
The end of your workshop will culminate with sharing. Invite your children to share their books and their reading experiences. Praise the successes and support the challenges by sharing strategies.
While you are conferencing and conducting guided reading lessons your other children should be reading on their own or with partners. You may choose to have literacy centers during this time as well. Children can work on vocabulary, listening, writing, dramatic play or other literary activities that support reading.
For an excellent example of reading workshop in action, I highly recommend that you read Debbie Miller's Reading With Meaning.
©2006 Effective Teaching Article Reprint for Teaching eVentures Archives
Lisa Frase
Grab your notebook and conference with individual children. Talk to them about their reading. Listen to them read. Ask them to tell you about the story. Do a quick running record. Make a note about their needs and interests. Gather a small group to a table. Guide them in a focused lesson on a strategy or skill that they need to help them become better readers.
Gather your children on the floor, and end your reading workshop by spending time sharing. Encourage children to share their reading successes and their new found strategies. Connect their learning together and help struggling readers learn from their peers. Focus on how good readers make meaning. Adjourn for the day with new hopes for tomorrow.
Reading Workshop begins with a mini-lesson using a short piece of anchor text. Focus your lesson on a strategy or skill from your curriculum objectives. Explicitly instruct by thinking out loud. Putting the thinking on paper is the visual transference. Children mimicking your model during their own independent reading is the independent practice.
In the middle of Reading Workshop comes individual conferences and guided reading with small, flexible groups. Quick one on one conferences provide you with valuable information for assessing and determining a child's strengths, weaknesses and instructional needs. Gathering a small group of children who need further instruction on the same strategy or skill is the guided reading portion of your workshop. During guided reading you might conduct a shared reading experiences, act as a support while they read instructional text aloud, provide hands-on manipulatives, or reinforce strategies through think alouds. Your flexible groups will form and disband as needed.
The end of your workshop will culminate with sharing. Invite your children to share their books and their reading experiences. Praise the successes and support the challenges by sharing strategies.
While you are conferencing and conducting guided reading lessons your other children should be reading on their own or with partners. You may choose to have literacy centers during this time as well. Children can work on vocabulary, listening, writing, dramatic play or other literary activities that support reading.
For an excellent example of reading workshop in action, I highly recommend that you read Debbie Miller's Reading With Meaning.
©2006 Effective Teaching Article Reprint for Teaching eVentures Archives
Lisa Frase
The Importance of Reading Aloud
How does one find time to read aloud? Teachers often put reading aloud to the side, as something nice, but lacking in instructional value. If we can’t find time for anything else, we should find time for reading aloud. It is a powerful teaching tool that directly affects our students.
Reading aloud opens up doors to the possibilities. Children hear magical words that take them to far away times and places. They listen to information that intrigues them. They come to realize books are filled with endless adventures and amazing journeys. It is through reading aloud children come to know the power and beauty of learning to read. Consider the toddler who sits on his mother’s lap, and listens to the same story over and over again as he claps his hands with glee, and begins a journey into the imagination. The joy of listening to stories should not end when a child enters the classroom door, instead, it should just begin. Teachers have the opportunity to fill in the gaps for children who do not experience this pleasure at home, and to continue feeding the mind with reading’s many rewards. Spinning tales and weaving words are a timeless and a classic motivational tool that entices the developing reader to search for more.
Reading aloud is the golden key to unlock the windows of success. Every time you read aloud, you are exposing your students to new vocabulary in context, to information, to different places and times, to the emotions and traits of various characters, and to the many different genres. When you read aloud to your students, you are giving them a precious gift to be treasured forever.
Our time in the classroom is valuable, and we don’t have a minute to waste. Consider reading aloud the foundation for all that you teach. Take advantage of every opportunity to read to your students. Let each day be a new adventure awaiting you and your students. The rewards of reading aloud are priceless, and the instructional value is tremendous.
I remember a time when I fantasized of a classroom where we began the day reading aloud. The picture in my mind’s eye was one of harmony, as lovely little children readied for their day and then came to the carpeted area with their excitement barely contained. They would sit wide-eyed and not utter a sound as I entranced them with stories in books. My rocking chair would be as a mother’s chair when she rocks her newborn baby. And then, I was hired to teach fifth grade.
During my first year of teaching, I failed to read aloud everyday. The one chapter book that I started was never finished. In fact, an occasional read aloud was a sacrifice of precious time. There were skills to be taught. D.E.A.R. time (Drop Everything and Read) was meant for silent reading. There was just not enough time, not that it really mattered, because after all, reading aloud is nice, but not necessary. The problem with this picture is that I still had a fantasy in my head. I loved reading aloud. The drama queen inside of me was dying to come out. At last, I gave into my intuition and began reading aloud during my second year of teaching, however, I did not sacrifice each day to what others thought to be such a frivolous waste of time.
When you feel in your heart what you are doing in the classroom is right, and it works, search out the research, and consult the experts, chances are...you will be validated. Direction came to me when I read Patricia Cunningham's Classrooms that Work
. Cunningham explains (in a step by step structure) how the reluctant reader comes to be, and most importantly, how teachers can use reading aloud to model and motivate. The best thing that I ever did was take reading aloud to heart. Everyday.
My eyes widened ever so slightly as I began to see the transformation take place among my students. I watched in fascination as children sought out the very book that I had just finished reading aloud. The books that were shared made their way around the room throughout the year. Discussion, disagreements, recommendations about literature became a natural part of my classroom environment. At the end of a chapter, children would beg for more. The tide was turning...and this was only the beginning.
Over time, I have made many discoveries about reading aloud. Children enjoy hearing books of all genres. They clamor to hear picture books as well as chapter books. They are enthralled with nonfiction books. Magazine and newspaper articles grab their attention as well. Poetry tickles and surprises, and my own writing totally delights and amazes them. It is with great joy that I seek out a highly recommended book from a trusted colleague that I can read for first time for myself, as well as for my students. Together, through laughter and tears, we discover the joy of reading.
In this article, we will explore the elements of reading aloud that will bring text to life in the minds of your students. Reading aloud with passion will transfer to hearts and minds, opening windows of discovery. Consider yourself a new member of acting class, and for those who feel out of their element, challenge yourself to stretch outside of your comfort zone, to take a risk, for the sake of your students, and the knowledge that you are building a foundation to create lifelong readers.
Reading poetry will move your students beyond hearing to doing. Envision the power of the language of poetry, the rhythm, and voice...and even if you reject the poet within yourself, embrace it for the poet within your students. Continuously seek out new stories to share, both real and make-believe. When you read aloud everyday, you will catch your most reluctant readers motivated to try out reading on their own. As you model fluency for your students through reading aloud, they will be able to practice their listening skills while following along. And most of all, you, the teacher, will be sharing the joy of reading.
Basic Guidelines for Reading Aloud
1. Read aloud texts that you enjoy as a reader. Enthusiasm is the first factor in reading aloud. If you do not like what you are reading, the kids will pick up on it and tune out. Why should they listen to something that the teacher doesn’t even enjoy? Outwardly display your excitement for the text that you are going to read in order to generate interest. Students will sit up and take notice when the teacher suggests that the text is something that they are going to want to hear.
2. Read the text before reading it aloud. This suggestion appears to be quite obvious, however, I know that I am not the only teacher who ever attempted to read a book aloud that I did not read first. Reading levels do not always indicated maturity levels. Some books are intended for a more mature audience. Other books deal with complicated issues that may not be appropriate for your classroom. No one knows the children in your classroom the same way that you do, so you must take into consideration how the text will affect your students. You will also want to look out for inappropriate words or sections that you may need to skip or gloss over. It is better to make a decision about a word or section before you read it aloud than to find yourself perplexed when you come to it. Reading a text yourself before reading it aloud also gives you a chance to search out the teachable moments to which the book may lend itself.
3. Select texts that are 1 to 2 years above your student’s independent reading levels. The rule of thumb is to read aloud books that are just above your student’s reading level. This creates an opportunity for children to hear new vocabulary, and it gives you the opportunity to introduce and discuss these new and perplexing words. Reading aloud should not be a vocabulary lesson, but instead, a natural introduction to new words. When you run across a word that you believe your students do not know, stop and explain the word, and then move on. Keep in mind that it is easy to perceive picture books as “baby books,” however; many of them are written at higher levels than may appear on the surface. They are also filled with wonderful vocabulary and beautiful plays on language. Picture books are full of teaching opportunities and are enjoyed by children (and adults) of all ages.
4. Read aloud a book with many cliffhangers. Hook your reluctant reader with an exciting book that is full of cliffhangers. One of my favorite books to read to fourth graders is Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix. This book is relatively unheard of. In all of the years I have read this book to students, I have only found two students who had already read it. It’s an exciting mystery with cliffhangers at the end of virtually every chapter. It is always a favorite of my students - they beg me to read more. Leave off at the end of reading a cliffhanger, and keep your students wondering until the next day. Let them experience that feeling of not being able to wait to get back to the book! After you finish the book, place it in your reading center and make it available to your students. You might need more than one copy!
5. Read aloud exciting parts of a book and then make it available to your students. Tempt your students into reading by selecting a particularly exciting part of a book, reading it aloud with lots of expression, and leaving off at a critical moment that leaves your students guessing, and then make it available in your reading center. Take a couple of minutes each day to introduce a new book will motivate even your most reluctant readers.
6. Read aloud both fiction and nonfiction, and from a wide range of genres. Expose your students to many different types of books, magazines, news articles, etc. Children are fascinated with the real world - open the doors to the world to them by reading aloud nonfiction. There are many wonderful nonfiction selections available today. Survey your children to find out their interests, and then search out books that will motivate them to read. A reluctant reader who has a passion for basketball may be interested in reading about Michael Jordon or Shaquille O’Neal. Remember nonfiction is harder to read than fiction. Read aloud nonfiction books on grade level, and make lower leveled books available for the children to read on their own. Consider tape recording nonfiction books and adding the tape and book to your reading / listening center.
7. Create a listening center with books on tape. There are many wonderful books already on tape. Increase the power of reading aloud by adding a listening center to your room where taped books are available. There is a wonderful series of children’s books titled Hank the Cowdog by John Erickson. Erickson writes his books to be read aloud. He has read aloud every single one of his books on tape, providing an exemplary model for reading aloud. It occurred to me one day, when a low reader in my fourth grade class expressed the desire to read Harry Potter, I could make it available to him. Just like his classmates, he wanted to enjoy this literary work. So I bought the tapes for the first book and allowed him to read and listen for a few minutes each day. Imagine the delight that this reluctant reader felt as he experienced a story that was loved by all of his peers.
8. Select picture books to read aloud that model reading strategies and writing techniques. Picture books make excellent teaching tools. The short text is perfect for introducing reading strategies. These delightful books are also filled with a wealth of writing techniques. Master authors such as Cynthia Rylant, Mem Fox, and Chris Van Allsburg suddenly become your young writer’s private mentors.
9. Select a book that you have not read (upon the trusted recommendation of a colleague) to read aloud to your students. Enjoy the rewards of discovering a great story with your students. This statement is contradictory from reading a book first before reading it aloud, so I say it with caution. Search for at least one book each year you can enjoy for the first time along with your students. Seek out the recommendation of a trusted colleague. Ask your colleague for a book that they have found to be of great enjoyment for their students. Make sure you ask about any inappropriate words, sections that may require delicacy, basic story line, and if there are any complicated issues in the book. If the book appears to have too many issues, it probably is not the book to select.
10. Make the text available for students to read on their own. One of the rewards of reading aloud is watching your students pass around a book throughout the year. After you plant the seeds, make the book available, and then sit back enjoy the harvest. Some books may cause you to have to find extra copies - what a wonderful problem to have!
11. Read aloud to classical music that compliments the rhythm of the text. By now, most teachers are aware of the brain-based research that suggests that Baroque classical music helps to improve reading, writing and math. It certainly doesn’t hurt. Have you ever watched a movie that did not have music in the background? Music sets the tone, the mood, and compliments the rhythm of the text. Select music to play in the background as you read aloud. For example, I enjoy playing Native American flute music as I read aloud a favorite book by Encounters by Jane Yolen. Another favorite read aloud of mine is The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg. Add a new dimension to your read aloud by playing the music from the Nutcracker Ballet in the background. And then, obtain a wooden train whistle to blow when the train whistle in the story is blown!
12. Incorporate read aloud across the curriculum. Today, there are many wonderful books available on science, math, and history topics. There is at least one historical fiction book on every time period in American history. Science and history topics provide excellent opportunities to pair fiction and nonfiction selections. Comparing and contrasting across texts, and making text to text connections is a higher order thinking strategy. It is also becoming a test item on standardized tests across the country. Many books have come out in recent years that relate to math concepts. Reading aloud a book that matches up with the math skill that you are teaching is a wonderful way to connect children who excel in language, yet struggle in math, with the concept that is being taught.
13. Periodically ask questions or stop to “think out loud.” Reading aloud is an important part of strategic reading instruction. Daily read alouds offers you the chance to reinforce and spiral the strategies that you have already taught. There are books that you read aloud with a teaching goal in mind, and then there should be at least one book that you read for pure enjoyment. During joyful reads, there are natural times to stop and think aloud, or to ask a question. Don’t overwhelm your students by stopping constantly, but instead, select moments that are natural to you as a reader and then share your thinking.
14. Read everyday, throughout the day, for a bare bones minimum of ten minutes per day. Begin your morning with a poem, a quote, or a short current event. The ultimate sponge activity is a quick read aloud. Plan your lessons with read alouds that connect to your curriculum. Choose a time in the day for reading aloud a longer text (chapter book) each day. Many teachers like to read aloud a book after lunch - it has a calming effect that gets the afternoon off to a good start. The one thing to avoid is beginning a chapter book at the tail end of the day. Children are anxious for the bell to ring, causing their listening comprehension to fall by the wayside. Students in my classroom always have books on their desks. The answer to the questions, “What do I do when I’m done?” is to READ, READ, READ. After students are packed up and ready to go, silent reading is the perfect (and quiet) way to end a day.
15. Read with lots of expression and enthusiasm, modeling intonation, pitch, and rate (vocal variety). Make your voice sound different, even exaggerated, for different characters. Hold onto your hat, in the next section, you will experience Acting Class - 101. There isn’t a person alive who will listen attentively to a boring, lifeless, voiceless read aloud. You are the model. It is imperative you read with expression and enthusiasm. Your students will be enraptured by the sound of your voice when you change the intonation, pitch and rate to suit the words. Dramatic pauses and character voices will have students sitting up, listening for more. One time I was reading aloud Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume. Now for those of you that know the book, the character Fudge is two-year-old tyrant. How can you read Fudge’s voice and NOT read like a two-year-old? Upon my return to my classroom after being out one day, I was immediately informed by my students that I absolutely had to reread the chapter that was read aloud by the substitute teacher - she didn’t read Fudge’s voice like a baby! Well, we certainly couldn’t have that, so of course I reread the chapter. The moral of the story is - students want you to read aloud with expression and character voices!
Acting Class 101 - How-to Read Aloud
When I was a little girl, I was one of those students who enthusiastically raised my hand and volunteered to read aloud. This lead me down the path of participating in drama club and speech contests. I was a struggling student in many areas. The stage was my one place to shine. I spent my first two years in college studying acting, and then I went on to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Speech Communication. In fact, I even met my husband in Toastmasters, a public speaking organization. You never know where reading aloud will lead you!
I must confess that I am a living contradiction. Despite the fact that public speaking is considered the number one fear over death, this is an area in which I excelled. The funny part is that I am painfully shy in social situations. I can’t even begin to explain myself. So yes, I do understand the feeling of shyness.
For those of you who are struggling with the idea of reading aloud, and in particular, reading aloud with expression, trust me when I say that you will do yourself more good, and develop more self-confidence when you tackle your fears head on. Keep in mind that when you read aloud with expression, you are modeling for your students, and modeling is one of the most powerful things that a teacher can do for her students.
I will address the following critical attributes of reading aloud in the next section: rate, tone, pitch, volume, expression, and character voices.
Rate
Rate is the pace at which the reader reads. Fast or Slow. The narrator’s rate should not be too fast or too slow, but just right. Approximately 120 wpm is a nice, middle of the road rate, however, the pace at which you read should alternate according to the punctuation, action, and characters in the story.
Explode the climatic moment in the text by slowing the rate down. Quicken the pace during exciting action. Vary the rate in places that create dramatic effect. Change the pace for different characters when they speak. Read slowly through parts that might be complicated or use higher vocabulary. Teach students the power of punctuation by changing your rate for exclamation marks, eclipses, dashes and question marks.
Nonfiction should be read with varying rate as well. Consider the “wow” statements in the text. This is the information in the text where all of the kids will suddenly say, “cool.” Look for the “wow” lines and alter your pace to create excitement. Read with dramatic pause. Reflect with a quickened moment of silence. Help your students see that reading fast does not necessarily equal reading “ speed.”
Tone
Have you ever listened to someone speak whose voice kept you completely mesmerized? Do you know people whose voices are beautiful to listen to? Do you know people whose voices irritate you and grate on your nerves? Tone is about voice quality. A good tone will ring true with a smooth and soothing sound. You can improve the quality of your vocal tone through proper breathing, speaking from the depths of your stomach instead of through the tightness of your throat, and through singing (even if you are just singing in the shower).
As teachers, especially in the beginning of the year when we have exercised our teaching voices after a summer off, many of us find that our voices begin to crack and croak. Public speakers and actors have a few “tricks of the trade” to help them get their voices back to normal: (1) Drink lots of water. You need to keep your vocal cords moistened. It’s hard to talk, much less read aloud when your throat is dry. (2) Peppermint has always been soothing medicine for the vocals. A peppermint candy or a cup of hot peppermint tea can do your voice wonders .(3) When the frogs are threatening to stay, fill a bowl with hot water. Add lemon slices and peppermint sprigs. Cover your eyes with a washcloth; put a towel over your head and breathe in the aroma of the hot water. It acts as a humidifier with medicinal power. The side benefit is that this technique also cleans out your pores!
Your vocals need exercise in the same way that your body needs exercise. Stretch, rub and exaggerate your facial muscles to loosen them up. Sing to warm up your voice and to enrich its tone. Say tongue twisters slowly, with great articulation, to make your vocal cords limber. Put a wine cork between your side teeth and practice articulating each sound in a word.
Now you must be wondering if you are expected to do this before reading aloud in your classroom - only if you want to give your students a good belly laugh! These are things that speakers, actors, and singers do to strengthen the tone of their voices. They can be done in the shower, or in the car. No one needs to know...
Pitch
As I think of pitch, I am reminded of those old black and white filmstrips that I used to watch in school - you know, the one’s where the speaker talks like a drone. The voice is monotone and boring. Flat as a pancake. The audience is snoring.
Pitch refers to the high and low sounds of the voice. When you are reading aloud, changing the pitch to match the characters or events adds drama to the act of storytelling. For narration, avoid flat or shrill pitches. These sounds will make a greater impact when assigned to a character. Change your pitch for different characters. This will add character recognition, and oftentimes, humor to your reading.
Go up on your inflection at the ends of sentences. This technique keeps you from swallowing the ends of your sentences and strengthens the impact of the words. Change the pitch to show excitement, or other emotions. Change the pitch for a man, woman, or child. A grandparent’s pitch will sound different from a toddler. Vary your pitch to correspond with the author’s voice. Consider the difference in the pitch for Junie B. Jones in Barbara Park’s series against the pitch for Brian in Gary Paulson’s Hatchet. The pitch, tone and rate will be dramatically different between these two texts.
Volume
Volume refers to how loud or soft you speak. Certainly, you must speak loud enough to be heard. Gather children on the floor in your classroom so that you can turn your teacher voice off and match your volume to the text. As you are reading, drop your volume during intense moments in the text to pique interest. When you are reading narrative text, change the volume to match the character’s voice. If the character is yelling - yell (loud enough to be yelling, but not so loud that the teacher next door comes knocking). If the character is whispering - whisper. If you picture the character as loud and boisterous, change your voice to suit the character. Another character may be soft and demure - make your voice soft and sweet. A sad voice will be softer than an angry voice. Keep your volume relatively strong, but vary it where it will make a difference in how the text is expressed.
Expression
Expression is heard in the voice, and seen in facial and body movements. Vocal variety (rate, tone, pitch and volume) can convey emotion, which is the cornerstone of expression. Your voice, facial features, and body language expresses exhaustion, shock, anger, happiness, surprise, indecision, fear, jealousy, enthusiasm, pleasure, pain, and many, many other emotions. Widened eyes. A shrug of the shoulders. Rolling eyes. Open mouth. Big smile. A shiver. All of these facial and body movements enhance the text that you are reading. They add drama. Expression is the difference between the storyteller who just tells the story, and the storyteller who acts out the story. You don’t have to jump up and totally act things out, but you can exaggerate your voice, face and body to add new layers to your read alouds. Surely you have heard a librarian, another teacher, an author or a storyteller who kept you enthralled with the way they expressed themselves during a read aloud. Watch them closely to see what they do, and then try it yourself.
Character Voices
Reading with character voices brings together rate, tone, pitch, volume and expression with the added twist of accent. Each voice can be accented to sound different and distinct. Dad sounds different from Mom, just as Grandpa sounds different from little sister. A voice may be deeply southern, or English, or totally teeny bopper. Character voices helps children to distinguish the difference between characters. It adds an element of fun and humor to your reading. Creating unique voices for different characters takes the read aloud to a whole new level, one that will have your students begging for more!
A Final Thought
If you read aloud with expression and vocal variety, children will copy cat your model when they read independently. See this as a process to begin teaching your students to develop oral fluency, not to mention speaking skills. All of the elements for reading aloud also apply to speaking in front of a group. They will sharpen their listening skills as they work to pay attention to the diverse sounds that launch them into exciting adventures. Their attention span will increase as they hang onto your every word. The rewards of reading aloud with expression will be seen in their faces and actions when they pick up the book to read for themselves, by themselves.
©2006 Effective Teaching Article Reprint for Teaching eVentures Archives
Lisa Frase
Reading aloud opens up doors to the possibilities. Children hear magical words that take them to far away times and places. They listen to information that intrigues them. They come to realize books are filled with endless adventures and amazing journeys. It is through reading aloud children come to know the power and beauty of learning to read. Consider the toddler who sits on his mother’s lap, and listens to the same story over and over again as he claps his hands with glee, and begins a journey into the imagination. The joy of listening to stories should not end when a child enters the classroom door, instead, it should just begin. Teachers have the opportunity to fill in the gaps for children who do not experience this pleasure at home, and to continue feeding the mind with reading’s many rewards. Spinning tales and weaving words are a timeless and a classic motivational tool that entices the developing reader to search for more.
Reading aloud is the golden key to unlock the windows of success. Every time you read aloud, you are exposing your students to new vocabulary in context, to information, to different places and times, to the emotions and traits of various characters, and to the many different genres. When you read aloud to your students, you are giving them a precious gift to be treasured forever.
Our time in the classroom is valuable, and we don’t have a minute to waste. Consider reading aloud the foundation for all that you teach. Take advantage of every opportunity to read to your students. Let each day be a new adventure awaiting you and your students. The rewards of reading aloud are priceless, and the instructional value is tremendous.
I remember a time when I fantasized of a classroom where we began the day reading aloud. The picture in my mind’s eye was one of harmony, as lovely little children readied for their day and then came to the carpeted area with their excitement barely contained. They would sit wide-eyed and not utter a sound as I entranced them with stories in books. My rocking chair would be as a mother’s chair when she rocks her newborn baby. And then, I was hired to teach fifth grade.
During my first year of teaching, I failed to read aloud everyday. The one chapter book that I started was never finished. In fact, an occasional read aloud was a sacrifice of precious time. There were skills to be taught. D.E.A.R. time (Drop Everything and Read) was meant for silent reading. There was just not enough time, not that it really mattered, because after all, reading aloud is nice, but not necessary. The problem with this picture is that I still had a fantasy in my head. I loved reading aloud. The drama queen inside of me was dying to come out. At last, I gave into my intuition and began reading aloud during my second year of teaching, however, I did not sacrifice each day to what others thought to be such a frivolous waste of time.
When you feel in your heart what you are doing in the classroom is right, and it works, search out the research, and consult the experts, chances are...you will be validated. Direction came to me when I read Patricia Cunningham's Classrooms that Work
. Cunningham explains (in a step by step structure) how the reluctant reader comes to be, and most importantly, how teachers can use reading aloud to model and motivate. The best thing that I ever did was take reading aloud to heart. Everyday.My eyes widened ever so slightly as I began to see the transformation take place among my students. I watched in fascination as children sought out the very book that I had just finished reading aloud. The books that were shared made their way around the room throughout the year. Discussion, disagreements, recommendations about literature became a natural part of my classroom environment. At the end of a chapter, children would beg for more. The tide was turning...and this was only the beginning.
Over time, I have made many discoveries about reading aloud. Children enjoy hearing books of all genres. They clamor to hear picture books as well as chapter books. They are enthralled with nonfiction books. Magazine and newspaper articles grab their attention as well. Poetry tickles and surprises, and my own writing totally delights and amazes them. It is with great joy that I seek out a highly recommended book from a trusted colleague that I can read for first time for myself, as well as for my students. Together, through laughter and tears, we discover the joy of reading.
In this article, we will explore the elements of reading aloud that will bring text to life in the minds of your students. Reading aloud with passion will transfer to hearts and minds, opening windows of discovery. Consider yourself a new member of acting class, and for those who feel out of their element, challenge yourself to stretch outside of your comfort zone, to take a risk, for the sake of your students, and the knowledge that you are building a foundation to create lifelong readers.
Reading poetry will move your students beyond hearing to doing. Envision the power of the language of poetry, the rhythm, and voice...and even if you reject the poet within yourself, embrace it for the poet within your students. Continuously seek out new stories to share, both real and make-believe. When you read aloud everyday, you will catch your most reluctant readers motivated to try out reading on their own. As you model fluency for your students through reading aloud, they will be able to practice their listening skills while following along. And most of all, you, the teacher, will be sharing the joy of reading.
Basic Guidelines for Reading Aloud
1. Read aloud texts that you enjoy as a reader. Enthusiasm is the first factor in reading aloud. If you do not like what you are reading, the kids will pick up on it and tune out. Why should they listen to something that the teacher doesn’t even enjoy? Outwardly display your excitement for the text that you are going to read in order to generate interest. Students will sit up and take notice when the teacher suggests that the text is something that they are going to want to hear.
2. Read the text before reading it aloud. This suggestion appears to be quite obvious, however, I know that I am not the only teacher who ever attempted to read a book aloud that I did not read first. Reading levels do not always indicated maturity levels. Some books are intended for a more mature audience. Other books deal with complicated issues that may not be appropriate for your classroom. No one knows the children in your classroom the same way that you do, so you must take into consideration how the text will affect your students. You will also want to look out for inappropriate words or sections that you may need to skip or gloss over. It is better to make a decision about a word or section before you read it aloud than to find yourself perplexed when you come to it. Reading a text yourself before reading it aloud also gives you a chance to search out the teachable moments to which the book may lend itself.
3. Select texts that are 1 to 2 years above your student’s independent reading levels. The rule of thumb is to read aloud books that are just above your student’s reading level. This creates an opportunity for children to hear new vocabulary, and it gives you the opportunity to introduce and discuss these new and perplexing words. Reading aloud should not be a vocabulary lesson, but instead, a natural introduction to new words. When you run across a word that you believe your students do not know, stop and explain the word, and then move on. Keep in mind that it is easy to perceive picture books as “baby books,” however; many of them are written at higher levels than may appear on the surface. They are also filled with wonderful vocabulary and beautiful plays on language. Picture books are full of teaching opportunities and are enjoyed by children (and adults) of all ages.
4. Read aloud a book with many cliffhangers. Hook your reluctant reader with an exciting book that is full of cliffhangers. One of my favorite books to read to fourth graders is Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix
. This book is relatively unheard of. In all of the years I have read this book to students, I have only found two students who had already read it. It’s an exciting mystery with cliffhangers at the end of virtually every chapter. It is always a favorite of my students - they beg me to read more. Leave off at the end of reading a cliffhanger, and keep your students wondering until the next day. Let them experience that feeling of not being able to wait to get back to the book! After you finish the book, place it in your reading center and make it available to your students. You might need more than one copy!5. Read aloud exciting parts of a book and then make it available to your students. Tempt your students into reading by selecting a particularly exciting part of a book, reading it aloud with lots of expression, and leaving off at a critical moment that leaves your students guessing, and then make it available in your reading center. Take a couple of minutes each day to introduce a new book will motivate even your most reluctant readers.
6. Read aloud both fiction and nonfiction, and from a wide range of genres. Expose your students to many different types of books, magazines, news articles, etc. Children are fascinated with the real world - open the doors to the world to them by reading aloud nonfiction. There are many wonderful nonfiction selections available today. Survey your children to find out their interests, and then search out books that will motivate them to read. A reluctant reader who has a passion for basketball may be interested in reading about Michael Jordon or Shaquille O’Neal. Remember nonfiction is harder to read than fiction. Read aloud nonfiction books on grade level, and make lower leveled books available for the children to read on their own. Consider tape recording nonfiction books and adding the tape and book to your reading / listening center.
7. Create a listening center with books on tape. There are many wonderful books already on tape. Increase the power of reading aloud by adding a listening center to your room where taped books are available. There is a wonderful series of children’s books titled Hank the Cowdog by John Erickson
. Erickson writes his books to be read aloud. He has read aloud every single one of his books on tape, providing an exemplary model for reading aloud. It occurred to me one day, when a low reader in my fourth grade class expressed the desire to read Harry Potter, I could make it available to him. Just like his classmates, he wanted to enjoy this literary work. So I bought the tapes for the first book and allowed him to read and listen for a few minutes each day. Imagine the delight that this reluctant reader felt as he experienced a story that was loved by all of his peers.8. Select picture books to read aloud that model reading strategies and writing techniques. Picture books make excellent teaching tools. The short text is perfect for introducing reading strategies. These delightful books are also filled with a wealth of writing techniques. Master authors such as Cynthia Rylant
, Mem Fox, and Chris Van Allsburg suddenly become your young writer’s private mentors.9. Select a book that you have not read (upon the trusted recommendation of a colleague) to read aloud to your students. Enjoy the rewards of discovering a great story with your students. This statement is contradictory from reading a book first before reading it aloud, so I say it with caution. Search for at least one book each year you can enjoy for the first time along with your students. Seek out the recommendation of a trusted colleague. Ask your colleague for a book that they have found to be of great enjoyment for their students. Make sure you ask about any inappropriate words, sections that may require delicacy, basic story line, and if there are any complicated issues in the book. If the book appears to have too many issues, it probably is not the book to select.
10. Make the text available for students to read on their own. One of the rewards of reading aloud is watching your students pass around a book throughout the year. After you plant the seeds, make the book available, and then sit back enjoy the harvest. Some books may cause you to have to find extra copies - what a wonderful problem to have!
11. Read aloud to classical music that compliments the rhythm of the text. By now, most teachers are aware of the brain-based research that suggests that Baroque classical music
helps to improve reading, writing and math. It certainly doesn’t hurt. Have you ever watched a movie that did not have music in the background? Music sets the tone, the mood, and compliments the rhythm of the text. Select music to play in the background as you read aloud. For example, I enjoy playing Native American flute music as I read aloud a favorite book by Encounters by Jane Yolen. Another favorite read aloud of mine is The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg. Add a new dimension to your read aloud by playing the music from the Nutcracker Ballet in the background. And then, obtain a wooden train whistle to blow when the train whistle in the story is blown!12. Incorporate read aloud across the curriculum. Today, there are many wonderful books available on science, math, and history topics. There is at least one historical fiction book on every time period in American history. Science and history topics provide excellent opportunities to pair fiction and nonfiction selections. Comparing and contrasting across texts, and making text to text connections is a higher order thinking strategy. It is also becoming a test item on standardized tests across the country. Many books have come out in recent years that relate to math concepts. Reading aloud a book that matches up with the math skill that you are teaching is a wonderful way to connect children who excel in language, yet struggle in math, with the concept that is being taught.
13. Periodically ask questions or stop to “think out loud.” Reading aloud is an important part of strategic reading instruction. Daily read alouds offers you the chance to reinforce and spiral the strategies that you have already taught. There are books that you read aloud with a teaching goal in mind, and then there should be at least one book that you read for pure enjoyment. During joyful reads, there are natural times to stop and think aloud, or to ask a question. Don’t overwhelm your students by stopping constantly, but instead, select moments that are natural to you as a reader and then share your thinking.
14. Read everyday, throughout the day, for a bare bones minimum of ten minutes per day. Begin your morning with a poem, a quote, or a short current event. The ultimate sponge activity is a quick read aloud. Plan your lessons with read alouds that connect to your curriculum. Choose a time in the day for reading aloud a longer text (chapter book) each day. Many teachers like to read aloud a book after lunch - it has a calming effect that gets the afternoon off to a good start. The one thing to avoid is beginning a chapter book at the tail end of the day. Children are anxious for the bell to ring, causing their listening comprehension to fall by the wayside. Students in my classroom always have books on their desks. The answer to the questions, “What do I do when I’m done?” is to READ, READ, READ. After students are packed up and ready to go, silent reading is the perfect (and quiet) way to end a day.
15. Read with lots of expression and enthusiasm, modeling intonation, pitch, and rate (vocal variety). Make your voice sound different, even exaggerated, for different characters. Hold onto your hat, in the next section, you will experience Acting Class - 101. There isn’t a person alive who will listen attentively to a boring, lifeless, voiceless read aloud. You are the model. It is imperative you read with expression and enthusiasm. Your students will be enraptured by the sound of your voice when you change the intonation, pitch and rate to suit the words. Dramatic pauses and character voices will have students sitting up, listening for more. One time I was reading aloud Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
. Now for those of you that know the book, the character Fudge is two-year-old tyrant. How can you read Fudge’s voice and NOT read like a two-year-old? Upon my return to my classroom after being out one day, I was immediately informed by my students that I absolutely had to reread the chapter that was read aloud by the substitute teacher - she didn’t read Fudge’s voice like a baby! Well, we certainly couldn’t have that, so of course I reread the chapter. The moral of the story is - students want you to read aloud with expression and character voices!Acting Class 101 - How-to Read Aloud
When I was a little girl, I was one of those students who enthusiastically raised my hand and volunteered to read aloud. This lead me down the path of participating in drama club and speech contests. I was a struggling student in many areas. The stage was my one place to shine. I spent my first two years in college studying acting, and then I went on to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Speech Communication. In fact, I even met my husband in Toastmasters, a public speaking organization. You never know where reading aloud will lead you!
I must confess that I am a living contradiction. Despite the fact that public speaking is considered the number one fear over death, this is an area in which I excelled. The funny part is that I am painfully shy in social situations. I can’t even begin to explain myself. So yes, I do understand the feeling of shyness.
For those of you who are struggling with the idea of reading aloud, and in particular, reading aloud with expression, trust me when I say that you will do yourself more good, and develop more self-confidence when you tackle your fears head on. Keep in mind that when you read aloud with expression, you are modeling for your students, and modeling is one of the most powerful things that a teacher can do for her students.
I will address the following critical attributes of reading aloud in the next section: rate, tone, pitch, volume, expression, and character voices.
Rate
Rate is the pace at which the reader reads. Fast or Slow. The narrator’s rate should not be too fast or too slow, but just right. Approximately 120 wpm is a nice, middle of the road rate, however, the pace at which you read should alternate according to the punctuation, action, and characters in the story.
Explode the climatic moment in the text by slowing the rate down. Quicken the pace during exciting action. Vary the rate in places that create dramatic effect. Change the pace for different characters when they speak. Read slowly through parts that might be complicated or use higher vocabulary. Teach students the power of punctuation by changing your rate for exclamation marks, eclipses, dashes and question marks.
Nonfiction should be read with varying rate as well. Consider the “wow” statements in the text. This is the information in the text where all of the kids will suddenly say, “cool.” Look for the “wow” lines and alter your pace to create excitement. Read with dramatic pause. Reflect with a quickened moment of silence. Help your students see that reading fast does not necessarily equal reading “ speed.”
Tone
Have you ever listened to someone speak whose voice kept you completely mesmerized? Do you know people whose voices are beautiful to listen to? Do you know people whose voices irritate you and grate on your nerves? Tone is about voice quality. A good tone will ring true with a smooth and soothing sound. You can improve the quality of your vocal tone through proper breathing, speaking from the depths of your stomach instead of through the tightness of your throat, and through singing (even if you are just singing in the shower).
As teachers, especially in the beginning of the year when we have exercised our teaching voices after a summer off, many of us find that our voices begin to crack and croak. Public speakers and actors have a few “tricks of the trade” to help them get their voices back to normal: (1) Drink lots of water. You need to keep your vocal cords moistened. It’s hard to talk, much less read aloud when your throat is dry. (2) Peppermint has always been soothing medicine for the vocals. A peppermint candy or a cup of hot peppermint tea can do your voice wonders .(3) When the frogs are threatening to stay, fill a bowl with hot water. Add lemon slices and peppermint sprigs. Cover your eyes with a washcloth; put a towel over your head and breathe in the aroma of the hot water. It acts as a humidifier with medicinal power. The side benefit is that this technique also cleans out your pores!
Your vocals need exercise in the same way that your body needs exercise. Stretch, rub and exaggerate your facial muscles to loosen them up. Sing to warm up your voice and to enrich its tone. Say tongue twisters slowly, with great articulation, to make your vocal cords limber. Put a wine cork between your side teeth and practice articulating each sound in a word.
Now you must be wondering if you are expected to do this before reading aloud in your classroom - only if you want to give your students a good belly laugh! These are things that speakers, actors, and singers do to strengthen the tone of their voices. They can be done in the shower, or in the car. No one needs to know...
Pitch
As I think of pitch, I am reminded of those old black and white filmstrips that I used to watch in school - you know, the one’s where the speaker talks like a drone. The voice is monotone and boring. Flat as a pancake. The audience is snoring.
Pitch refers to the high and low sounds of the voice. When you are reading aloud, changing the pitch to match the characters or events adds drama to the act of storytelling. For narration, avoid flat or shrill pitches. These sounds will make a greater impact when assigned to a character. Change your pitch for different characters. This will add character recognition, and oftentimes, humor to your reading.
Go up on your inflection at the ends of sentences. This technique keeps you from swallowing the ends of your sentences and strengthens the impact of the words. Change the pitch to show excitement, or other emotions. Change the pitch for a man, woman, or child. A grandparent’s pitch will sound different from a toddler. Vary your pitch to correspond with the author’s voice. Consider the difference in the pitch for Junie B. Jones in Barbara Park’s series against the pitch for Brian in Gary Paulson’s Hatchet. The pitch, tone and rate will be dramatically different between these two texts.
Volume
Volume refers to how loud or soft you speak. Certainly, you must speak loud enough to be heard. Gather children on the floor in your classroom so that you can turn your teacher voice off and match your volume to the text. As you are reading, drop your volume during intense moments in the text to pique interest. When you are reading narrative text, change the volume to match the character’s voice. If the character is yelling - yell (loud enough to be yelling, but not so loud that the teacher next door comes knocking). If the character is whispering - whisper. If you picture the character as loud and boisterous, change your voice to suit the character. Another character may be soft and demure - make your voice soft and sweet. A sad voice will be softer than an angry voice. Keep your volume relatively strong, but vary it where it will make a difference in how the text is expressed.
Expression
Expression is heard in the voice, and seen in facial and body movements. Vocal variety (rate, tone, pitch and volume) can convey emotion, which is the cornerstone of expression. Your voice, facial features, and body language expresses exhaustion, shock, anger, happiness, surprise, indecision, fear, jealousy, enthusiasm, pleasure, pain, and many, many other emotions. Widened eyes. A shrug of the shoulders. Rolling eyes. Open mouth. Big smile. A shiver. All of these facial and body movements enhance the text that you are reading. They add drama. Expression is the difference between the storyteller who just tells the story, and the storyteller who acts out the story. You don’t have to jump up and totally act things out, but you can exaggerate your voice, face and body to add new layers to your read alouds. Surely you have heard a librarian, another teacher, an author or a storyteller who kept you enthralled with the way they expressed themselves during a read aloud. Watch them closely to see what they do, and then try it yourself.
Character Voices
Reading with character voices brings together rate, tone, pitch, volume and expression with the added twist of accent. Each voice can be accented to sound different and distinct. Dad sounds different from Mom, just as Grandpa sounds different from little sister. A voice may be deeply southern, or English, or totally teeny bopper. Character voices helps children to distinguish the difference between characters. It adds an element of fun and humor to your reading. Creating unique voices for different characters takes the read aloud to a whole new level, one that will have your students begging for more!
A Final Thought
If you read aloud with expression and vocal variety, children will copy cat your model when they read independently. See this as a process to begin teaching your students to develop oral fluency, not to mention speaking skills. All of the elements for reading aloud also apply to speaking in front of a group. They will sharpen their listening skills as they work to pay attention to the diverse sounds that launch them into exciting adventures. Their attention span will increase as they hang onto your every word. The rewards of reading aloud with expression will be seen in their faces and actions when they pick up the book to read for themselves, by themselves.
©2006 Effective Teaching Article Reprint for Teaching eVentures Archives
Lisa Frase
Sunday, 13 July 2008
How to Create a Webquest for Your Students
The first step to creating a webquest is to determine the ability level of your students and the subject matter for the quest. You will need a webpage free of advertisements in order to create your webquest. Check with your school or district to see if web space is available for teacher use, or set up a website using a free teacher friendly service like Scholastic.
You will need to create six sections for your webquest. You can also add a section for other teachers with assessment rubrics, instructions, etc. The six main sections must include an introduction, the task, the process, the evaluation, the conclusion, and credits or references.
Begin with your introduction. The goal of your introduction is to introduce the topic and give background information. Your next section is the actual student task. You will explain to your students what they are going to learn, as well as explain the product they will create to demonstrate their learning.
The process is the steps and procedures for completing the quest. A step in the process might be reading a book aloud, conducting a lesson, or watching a video on the topic. Other steps in the process include searching the Internet for information, taking notes, and creating a final product. You will need to search for website links you want your students to visit in order to gather information. Check the site for inappropriate material or for links to outside sites. Make sure the links you provide your students are child friendly and safe to surf.
The evaluation section of your webquest will include a grading rubric. Students will need to know what is expected of them during their quest, and you will need a grade at the end. You can create a rubric at Rubistar. The conclusion section of your quest will contain final words to end the webquest. Your last section should include references and credits for your webquest.
Before you create your own webquest it is a good idea to view other webquests. My Teaching eVentures has developed a webpage with links to different teacher created webquests. Take a look at the different ideas to get your creative juices flowing. Webquests Page
Once you create your webquest we would love to add it to our webquest links. Go to our website and email us with the link to your webquest and share it with other teachers.
You will need to create six sections for your webquest. You can also add a section for other teachers with assessment rubrics, instructions, etc. The six main sections must include an introduction, the task, the process, the evaluation, the conclusion, and credits or references.
Begin with your introduction. The goal of your introduction is to introduce the topic and give background information. Your next section is the actual student task. You will explain to your students what they are going to learn, as well as explain the product they will create to demonstrate their learning.
The process is the steps and procedures for completing the quest. A step in the process might be reading a book aloud, conducting a lesson, or watching a video on the topic. Other steps in the process include searching the Internet for information, taking notes, and creating a final product. You will need to search for website links you want your students to visit in order to gather information. Check the site for inappropriate material or for links to outside sites. Make sure the links you provide your students are child friendly and safe to surf.
The evaluation section of your webquest will include a grading rubric. Students will need to know what is expected of them during their quest, and you will need a grade at the end. You can create a rubric at Rubistar. The conclusion section of your quest will contain final words to end the webquest. Your last section should include references and credits for your webquest.
Before you create your own webquest it is a good idea to view other webquests. My Teaching eVentures has developed a webpage with links to different teacher created webquests. Take a look at the different ideas to get your creative juices flowing. Webquests Page
Once you create your webquest we would love to add it to our webquest links. Go to our website and email us with the link to your webquest and share it with other teachers.
Friday, 11 July 2008
Inside / Outside Literature Circle Discussions
Literature Circles is an effective way to get kids talking about books. The discussions stretches their thinking and point of view, deepens their comprehension and understanding, and takes reading to the level of fun.
When you begin literature circles you can help anchor student discussions with literature circle task cards. These cards give kids something to talk about. Slowly remove the task cards away and allow the discussion to flow freely.
How do you get kids to stay on task and topic? After each literature circle discussion bring the whole group together and ask the students how their discussion went today. Write their responses on chart paper. Talk about the quality of their discussions and what to do if they catch themselves getting off topic, or if one student is not on task. You can use literature circles to teach communication and problem solving skills as well.
Once you've established your discussion groups, and they have had a few rounds of talk, identify the group who conducts the most meaningful, on topic discussions. Bring the whole class together for an inside / outside literature circle discussion.
This is how it works:
(1) The identified literature circle group sits in a circle. The rest of the class sits in an outside circle.
(2) The inside circle holds their discussion as normal. You may need to prompt them a little to get them started. They may feel a little shy or nervous having their discussion in front of the class. Select your group carefully.
(3) The outside circle does not talk, comment, or question. Their job is to listen.
(4) After the completion of the discussion hold a whole class talk. The entire class will talk about the quality of the discussion. The idea is to model and teach what a deeper, more meaningful literature circle looks like.
I did this activity the first time with second graders. I selected my GT group to act as the inside circle. This gave the rest of the class a nice model for discussions. The inside circle had an amazing discussion about Charlotte's Web. They stayed on topic (the pressure of being watched) and on task. The outside circle did a great job of listening. We had a meaningful discussion about the discussion. We used the words, "I noticed..." in our whole class discussion. I was blown away at the depth of this activity.
Other ways to try inside / outside circles: (1) Discuss science or social studies topics in depth (2) discuss and critique writing in depth (3) try it in a faculty meeting.
When you begin literature circles you can help anchor student discussions with literature circle task cards. These cards give kids something to talk about. Slowly remove the task cards away and allow the discussion to flow freely.
How do you get kids to stay on task and topic? After each literature circle discussion bring the whole group together and ask the students how their discussion went today. Write their responses on chart paper. Talk about the quality of their discussions and what to do if they catch themselves getting off topic, or if one student is not on task. You can use literature circles to teach communication and problem solving skills as well.
Once you've established your discussion groups, and they have had a few rounds of talk, identify the group who conducts the most meaningful, on topic discussions. Bring the whole class together for an inside / outside literature circle discussion.
This is how it works:
(1) The identified literature circle group sits in a circle. The rest of the class sits in an outside circle.
(2) The inside circle holds their discussion as normal. You may need to prompt them a little to get them started. They may feel a little shy or nervous having their discussion in front of the class. Select your group carefully.
(3) The outside circle does not talk, comment, or question. Their job is to listen.
(4) After the completion of the discussion hold a whole class talk. The entire class will talk about the quality of the discussion. The idea is to model and teach what a deeper, more meaningful literature circle looks like.
I did this activity the first time with second graders. I selected my GT group to act as the inside circle. This gave the rest of the class a nice model for discussions. The inside circle had an amazing discussion about Charlotte's Web. They stayed on topic (the pressure of being watched) and on task. The outside circle did a great job of listening. We had a meaningful discussion about the discussion. We used the words, "I noticed..." in our whole class discussion. I was blown away at the depth of this activity.
Other ways to try inside / outside circles: (1) Discuss science or social studies topics in depth (2) discuss and critique writing in depth (3) try it in a faculty meeting.
Wednesday, 2 July 2008
Set Up Your Classroom Library
A classroom library is an essential resource for enhancing your instruction. In order for children to grow as readers they need to read on their independent reading levels from a variety of texts. Access to books is a key factor in motivating kids to read. There are many ways to collect books and organize your library.
Teachers should carefully select books for their library. You will need a range of fiction and nonfiction, reading levels, genres, authors, and subject matter. Text and illustration quality is important. Young readers need engaging books with texts on their reading levels. Select the best literature from the most proficient writers. Illustrations in picture books should draw the reader's eye and add to the story. Avoid mass market books for your classroom library. The readability is often higher than the average reader for whom the book is marketed, and the subject matter is not always of the highest quality. Visit my site for teachers to learn about some of the best children's authors: Effective Teaching Solutions.
K-2 grade teachers will need to selection of books from emergent readers through chapter books. Categories of books should include emergent readers, beginning readers, picture books, early chapter books, chapter books, poetry, fairy tales / folktales /legends, and nonfiction. You will need some books on 3rd and 4th grade reading levels for your high readers (especially if you teach 2nd grade).
3rd-5th grade teachers will want mostly chapter books ranging fro 2nd-7th grade reading level. Throw in a couple of baskets of higher level picture books, a section for nonfiction, magazines, poetry, and reference books to round out your classroom library.
The most efficient way to organize your books is in baskets. Find a dollar store to pick up baskets for your reading center. You probably already have some books, so determine how many baskets you need by dividing your books into categories. You could decide to have all of your baskets in one color, or a different color for each genre (eg.: red for nonfiction, green for mystery, purple for poetry...). Some teachers get their students to categorize their books into baskets. This activity helps kids to learn to identify different genres.
Once your books are organized you will want to label each basket. You can make your own labels or print premade labels from Beth Newingham. An easy way to make your own labels is to use PowerPoint. Simple create each label (text and picture) on a PowerPoint slide. Print off 6 slides onto one sheet (the perfect size for labels). You can even purchase sticker printer paper to make your job a lot easier.
How do you keep track of your books? Purchase library pockets and cards.
For each book, place a pocket on the inside front cover. Write the title of the book and the author on a card and place the card in the pocket. Purchase a small index card file box with ABC dividers. When a student checks out a book they write their name on the card and put the card in the file box in ABC order by their last name. Appoint two or three trustworthy and organized students to keep track of library checkouts and to place returned books into their correct baskets. I like to keep two extra baskets: one for book returns and one for book repairs. Keep clear packing tape, Elmer's glue, and rubber bands on hand for book repairs. You will also need to label each book. I use a label maker to put my last name, the book's genre, and the ARP level on each book. This helps my library helpers return my books to the correct basket, and helps me to get books back when the are lost or are accidently returned to the school library. My label maker has come in handy for a number of things. It's worth every penny!
Where do you find books? Start with Scholastic Book Clubs. You earn points to get books for free with every order you send. The beginning of the year tends to yield the largest number of points. Library sales are a great way to pick up used books for $0.25-1.00. Thrift shops and garage sales are another resource. One of the best resources is to create a wish list for your classroom library. Ask parents to donate to your classroom library. Include your wish list in your class newsletter or on your classroom website. Watch your school and local library for discards. If you are after new books make sure you sign up for teacher discounts at Barnes and Noble, Borders, and Half-Price Bookstores.
Another great source is
Watch for their sales on children's books. I once picked up an entire class set of books for $1.00 each. A place you might not have thought of is Chick-Fil-a. I have bought class sets of books (eg.: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff) for $1.00 when the appeared in their kid meals. Just go inside and ask to make a purchase. Don't forget retired teachers! They are always a great source for adding new titles to your library.
Creating a classroom library can be a fun and rewarding experience. You can either reorganize what you've already start, or start from scratch. When you come across a great deal, pick up a set of five of the same titles to set aside for literature circles. Save up book club points to purchase class sets. Allow your students to act as librarians, and recruit parents to help you label books and baskets. Older students can get in on the labeling action as well. Before you know it, you will have an interactive, dynamic classroom library.
Teachers should carefully select books for their library. You will need a range of fiction and nonfiction, reading levels, genres, authors, and subject matter. Text and illustration quality is important. Young readers need engaging books with texts on their reading levels. Select the best literature from the most proficient writers. Illustrations in picture books should draw the reader's eye and add to the story. Avoid mass market books for your classroom library. The readability is often higher than the average reader for whom the book is marketed, and the subject matter is not always of the highest quality. Visit my site for teachers to learn about some of the best children's authors: Effective Teaching Solutions.
K-2 grade teachers will need to selection of books from emergent readers through chapter books. Categories of books should include emergent readers, beginning readers, picture books, early chapter books, chapter books, poetry, fairy tales / folktales /legends, and nonfiction. You will need some books on 3rd and 4th grade reading levels for your high readers (especially if you teach 2nd grade).
3rd-5th grade teachers will want mostly chapter books ranging fro 2nd-7th grade reading level. Throw in a couple of baskets of higher level picture books, a section for nonfiction, magazines, poetry, and reference books to round out your classroom library.
The most efficient way to organize your books is in baskets. Find a dollar store to pick up baskets for your reading center. You probably already have some books, so determine how many baskets you need by dividing your books into categories. You could decide to have all of your baskets in one color, or a different color for each genre (eg.: red for nonfiction, green for mystery, purple for poetry...). Some teachers get their students to categorize their books into baskets. This activity helps kids to learn to identify different genres.
Once your books are organized you will want to label each basket. You can make your own labels or print premade labels from Beth Newingham. An easy way to make your own labels is to use PowerPoint. Simple create each label (text and picture) on a PowerPoint slide. Print off 6 slides onto one sheet (the perfect size for labels). You can even purchase sticker printer paper to make your job a lot easier.
How do you keep track of your books? Purchase library pockets and cards.
For each book, place a pocket on the inside front cover. Write the title of the book and the author on a card and place the card in the pocket. Purchase a small index card file box with ABC dividers. When a student checks out a book they write their name on the card and put the card in the file box in ABC order by their last name. Appoint two or three trustworthy and organized students to keep track of library checkouts and to place returned books into their correct baskets. I like to keep two extra baskets: one for book returns and one for book repairs. Keep clear packing tape, Elmer's glue, and rubber bands on hand for book repairs. You will also need to label each book. I use a label maker to put my last name, the book's genre, and the ARP level on each book. This helps my library helpers return my books to the correct basket, and helps me to get books back when the are lost or are accidently returned to the school library. My label maker has come in handy for a number of things. It's worth every penny!
Where do you find books? Start with Scholastic Book Clubs. You earn points to get books for free with every order you send. The beginning of the year tends to yield the largest number of points. Library sales are a great way to pick up used books for $0.25-1.00. Thrift shops and garage sales are another resource. One of the best resources is to create a wish list for your classroom library. Ask parents to donate to your classroom library. Include your wish list in your class newsletter or on your classroom website. Watch your school and local library for discards. If you are after new books make sure you sign up for teacher discounts at Barnes and Noble, Borders, and Half-Price Bookstores.
Another great source is
Watch for their sales on children's books. I once picked up an entire class set of books for $1.00 each. A place you might not have thought of is Chick-Fil-a. I have bought class sets of books (eg.: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff) for $1.00 when the appeared in their kid meals. Just go inside and ask to make a purchase. Don't forget retired teachers! They are always a great source for adding new titles to your library.
Creating a classroom library can be a fun and rewarding experience. You can either reorganize what you've already start, or start from scratch. When you come across a great deal, pick up a set of five of the same titles to set aside for literature circles. Save up book club points to purchase class sets. Allow your students to act as librarians, and recruit parents to help you label books and baskets. Older students can get in on the labeling action as well. Before you know it, you will have an interactive, dynamic classroom library.
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