Reading Aloud With Older Readers
Dr. Frank Serafini
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
serafini@unlv.nevada.edu
John Dewey
Every
experience takes up something from those experiences that have come before and
modifies in some way the qualities of those that come after.
Read Aloud As Experience
A
Transaction between a Text, a Reader, a Group of Student Listeners, and a
Particular Context
Involves
the Negotiation of Meaning in a Community of Readers
Reading
as a Social Performance
Respect
for Literature as Art
Constructing Reading
How
We Talk about Texts
The
Types of Questions We Ask Students
What
We Choose to Read
Expectations
We Set for Readers
What
We Do AFTER We Read
The
Demonstrations of Proficient Reading We Provide
Reading With, Not To Readers
Includes
teacher as reader
A
shared learning experience
Teacher
as Literary Docent
Not
just a classroom management strategy
Let
the text “speak”
Generates
Curriculum
13 Scientifically-Based Reasons to Read Aloud with Older Readers
Reading
Aloud:
Raises
test scores
Introduces
readers to new titles, authors, illustrators, text structures and genres
Builds
a community of readers
Provides
space for extended, invested discussions
An
enjoyable experience
Connects
readers with content area subjects
Provides
demonstrations of how to respond to a text
Increases
interest in selecting literature for independent reading
Provides
access to books and ideas that readers may not be able to experience on their
own
Provides
demonstrations of oral fluency, phrasing and intonation
Helps
readers understand the connection between reading in school and in life
Provides
demonstrations of quality writing
Helps
readers learn to read better
Expectations for Readers
Find
a Place for Reading in Their Lives
Enjoy
Reading & Its Challenges
Utilize
a Variety of Reading Strategies to Make Sense of Texts
Willing
and Able to Generate, Share and Negotiate Interpretations
Are
Emotionally Invested in Literature
Read
a Wide Variety of Texts
Understand
that Images and Texts May Possess Meanings Beyond what is Represented
Understand
Texts are Social Artifacts
Selecting Literature
Attractive
/ Appealing
Tells
a GREAT story
Worth
Re-Reading
Appropriate
Conceptually
Quality
Illustrations / Design
Memorable
Characters
Lyrical
- Quality Writing
Doesn’t
Reveal Itself Immediately
Reading Aloud Tips
Only
Read Books You Love
Read
with Cool Voices!
Let
Us Talk about the Book
Read
Non-Fiction Too!
Practice
Reading Aloud
Show
the Pictures… Slowly!
Don’t
Read Too Fast
Let
Us Choose Books Sometimes
Performing Literature
Word
“Perfect” Reading?
Showing
Illustrations
Student
Copy of the Book?
Invite
Authors into the Classroom
Stop
and Ask, or Just Read
Re-Visiting
Favorites or New Stories
Where
Do I Stand or Sit?
Promoting Invested Discussions
Use
of Quality Literature and Texts
Turn
- Pair - Share
Visual
Representations (charts)
Impressions-Connections-Wonderings
Disrupting
Textual Perspectives
Graffiti
Boards
Timelines
- Maps - Diagrams
Questioning Considerations
Students
should ask more questions than teachers do.
Questions
should promote further inquiry and discussion.
Statements
usually elicit more discussion than questions.
Asking
too many questions, even good ones, can kill a good discussion.
Don’t
ask questions you already know the answers to.
Questions
are more effective in response to students’ ideas, than in front of them.
After The Reading is Over
What
makes an effective response strategy?
How
does this response strategy extend one’s understandings of literature or the
reading process?
Where
in the world would this occur outside of school?
Responding to Literature
Talk
About Texts
Reflect
in Writing
Read
Another Connected Text
Make
Suggestions for Other Readers
Sketch
Ideas About Texts
Research
a Related Topic of Interest
Question
the Text / Ideas
Re-Read
Text
Write
to the Author / Illustrator
Use
Ideas for Own Writing
Making Comprehension Visible
Use
of think alouds to demonstrate reading practices
Choose
a book that you can respond to authentically
Stop,
Think, and Share Aloud
Make
list of what you are paying attention to
Briefly
summarize what you did
Rethinking Reading Assessment
We
are conducting far too much of the wrong kinds of assessment (external), and
far too little of the right kinds (classroom based).
Goals of Classroom-Based Assessment
To
Help Children Learn
To
Help Teachers Teach
To
Help Teachers Articulate Their Knowledge of Students and Learning to Interested
Stakeholders
Classroom Based Assessment
Variety
of Sources of Information
Teacher
as Knowledgeable Observer
Focuses
on Abilities, NOT Deficits
Guides
Teaching & Curriculum
Ongoing
Assessment
Includes
Students
Negotiate
Criteria for Evaluation
Assessing Comprehension
Retellings
Think
Alouds
Reading
Response Logs
Oral
Reading Analysis
Literature
Study Discussions
Weekly
Conferences
Literacy
Checklists
Assessment Criteria
Engagement
& Involvement
Associations
& Connections
Analysis
& Evaluations
Engagement / Involvement
Can
describe visual images
Follows
along with characters
Relives
the experience of the story
Anticipates
events in story
Recalls
specific events, language and story details
Offers
immediate reactions (laughs, worries, etc)
Able
to enter the secondary world of the story
Associations / Connections
Connects
story to own experiences
Connects
story to other stories and texts read
Connects
stories to world events
Understands
characters challenges in story world as connected to real world challenges
Puts
self in place of characters
Analysis / Evaluation
Generalizes
from literary experiences to world experiences
Develops
themes / larger issues
Evaluates
characters motives
Infers
author’s intentions / histories / perspectives
Evaluates
“quality” of the story
Understands
relationship between parts of a story and the whole
Analyzes
own responses to stories
Re-examines
own worldview
Things We Don’t Want to Demonstrate
There
is one right interpretation of a text and only the teacher or the “Cliff Notes”
knows what that is.
Reading
is the ability to stand on demand and pronounce every word correctly.
Reading
poetry and literature is difficult for most students.
Students
cannot be trusted to choose appropriate books for independent reading.
What
we do after the reading is done is more important than the reading itself.
The
only way to know if students understand what they read is by asking them
questions.
Readers
need to finish every book they start reading.
Teachers
ask questions, students answer them.
You
read for enjoyment at home, you read what teachers want at school.
If
you struggle with reading when you are young, you will always struggle with
reading.
So, Where Do I Start?
Increase
Your Knowledge of Children’s Literature
Use
Classroom-Based Assessments to Know Your Readers
Read
Aloud on Daily Basis
Begin
Invested Discussion Ideas
Negotiate
New Expectations for Readers
Share
Your Reading Life
Try
Demonstrating Comprehension Through Think Alouds
Children’s
Literature & Literacy Web-Site: http://serafini.nevada.edu
Email: serafini@unlv.nevada.edu