Is there an age limit on Read Alouds?
While
training mentors on how to improve students` literacy skills, a big strategy we stress is the
use Read Alouds. The mentors in our program are required to read at least one
book to their group every time they meet with them. We do this for two reasons,
one reason is that no matter the age of the mentee (they range from Pre-Kindergarten
to 6th grade) they all are actively engaged and love this time of
mentoring. The second reason for this is, for the students in the upper
grades (4th- 6th), this read aloud is the only time all week that
they are being read aloud to. I noticed a similar pattern when I was in my
student teaching placements. In my Pre- Kindergarten placement, we read five or
six books to the students every day. In my 3rd grade placement, we
only read one a week. Why is this? Why
do Read Alouds become less important and stop when the students get older?
It`s
reasonable to say that students in 4th- 6th grade can
read independently so the time needs to be spent on the students doing the
reading. That does not mean Read Alouds need to stop all together though. Read
Alouds help to model fluent reading, expand vocabulary, expose children to
new authors and genres, and build awareness and empathy. Read Alouds also let students
experience the joy of reading without the pressure of decoding the words. If Read Alouds can be used to improve literacy
skills while increase engagement, why do they stop in the primary grades?
Great examples and questions, Emily. I agree with your lament about the lack of read-alouds in upper grades, all the way up through secondary and in various content areas. I think modeling the 'voice in your head' as you read applies to nonfiction as well as fiction, but that might seem like an odd concept for some teachers. Hearing a science teacher read a paragraph or two from a scientific article or a popular text w/ science content is a perfect way to hear phrasing and chunking for fluency and to maintain comprehension, and pronunciation of new vocabulary. Follow-up with a think aloud to comment on meaning, pose questions, and make connections, the content becomes much more accessible whatever the reader's level of experience with the ideas. For these and all the great reasons you outline, read-alouds in upper grades are a must.
ReplyDeleteAnother way to integrate them in upper grades is by using a variety of accessible, fun, and interesting texts related to content-area concepts...for this, stay tuned! My current group of secondary ed students in our reading methods class are working on a content-specific mini-lesson using a picture book or other graphic text. They'll practice reading aloud and also create book trailers as part of the assignment...I will share them with you!
Emily and Marta, both of your comments remind me of my experience learning Automotive Technology at BOCES when I was in high school. The teacher would always have us read aloud from the textbook as part of the lessons. At the time and while I was learning education in college I always thought it was a bit of a lazy way to teach, and it may have been to an extent. However, when I look back now I think there may have been some real benefit to it. The teacher was knowledgeable of the subject and elaborated on subjects in the text and answered questions when needed. This also forced students, who are in this case were likely of poor ability and unmotivated otherwise, to read the text. It is possible that this has influenced how I use textbooks to help me write lesson plans. If I assign reading for the lesson, I read or skim the text and organize my lesson to highlight the key points from the text. I have contemplated having my students perform a similar exercise as an assignment but I have to admit I am not the best with literacy and have not completely developed what it would look like if I did.
ReplyDeleteEmily,
ReplyDeleteAnother reason I can think of for supporting your agreement about the read-a-louds is students ability to listen to others. Listening has become a tough skill for students all the way up through elementary school, and having students read to each other in these groups could greatly improve on these skills. Preparing students to LISTEN to others and actually comprehend what is being said and/or read is an important school. Students have a hard time thinking about others at the age and learning the skills of respecting someone else while they are reading just as if you would want them to do the same for you are important.