Shared Reading
Shared reading is an integral part of whole class instruction. It occurs when students join in reading a book or text piece with a teacher or another experienced reader. Students and teacher read an enlarged text, and all must be able to see the text clearly. Learn more about Big Books and Comprehension Posters.
A text may be reread many times as long as the students continue to find the experience enjoyable and purposeful. Because of the noncompetitive learning environment with shared reading, risk-taking, mistakes, and approximations are considered part of the learning experience, and are not seen as failures.
Shared reading can be used with any level or ability and any class group. Because the experience takes place in a relaxed and secure environment, it develops positive feelings toward reading.This is particularly important for pre-emergent and early-emergent readers who may be just beginning formal education or struggling with learning to read.
Shared reading provides many opportunities to model fluent reading. It is an excellent vehicle for showing students how to use strategies that integrate meaning, and how to use structural and visual information to problem-solve on unfamiliar words.
A number of teaching points can be consistently reinforced during shared reading.
- Aspects of language (structure, rhyme, rhythm, and alliteration)
Learn more about Songs & Rhymes.
- Concepts about print (directionality, one-to-one matching, spatial concepts, punctuation, words, and letters)
- Clarification of concepts (whole story or individual words)
- Reading strategies (predicting; locating; checking; confirming; self-correcting at the letter, word, or full-text level)
- Informational skills (gained from title, Contents page, cover illustrations, Index, and Glossary)
- Extension of both sight and listening vocabulary.
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