Procedures+and+Materials

= Shared Reading: Procedures and Materials = **//Initiated by Jake Gambrell //**

Imagine you’re looking upon a mother or father reading to a small child at bedtime. What would you notice? It is likely that the reading would be centered on familiar aspects of text and conversation regarding the book would be happening. In the mid-1960’s, Don Holdaway encouraged teachers to recreate this scenario in their classrooms. Shared reading was created due to research suggesting that parents reading stories to their children at bedtime was a leading factor in children becoming successful readers (Manning & Manning, 1992).

When compared to other components of a balanced literacy program, shared reading is unique. This instructional method allows children to join in a three-way partnership with the author of the text and the classroom teacher. Children see themselves as co-readers and co-writers during shared reading (Mooney, 1994).

Before a teacher incorporates a shared reading lesson into his or her classroom, an appropriate text must be selected. Enlarged texts are often a common feature within a shared reading lesson. This ensures that all children are able to view the text during the reading. According to Manning (1997), teachers should select texts that “have the ‘Three R’s’: Rhyme, Rhythm, and Repetition” (p. 129). It is important that the text is appealing to children and offers a good story line, characters and illustrations that are interesting, and be predictable (Manning & Manning, 1992). These text characteristics will help to increase student engagement and participation during the shared reading experience. The goal of shared reading is to help “convince children that books and reading offer satisfaction, knowledge, challenge, comfort and delight-and that reading is for them” (Mooney, 1994, p. 70). Appropriate forms of shared reading texts include Big Books and versions of poems, nursery rhymes, songs, and other texts that are enlarged through the use of chart paper, overhead transparencies, or interactive white boards.

When using shared reading, or the shared book experience, it is important that students are gathered around the teacher. The text should be visible to all students. It may be a good idea to use an easel to display a Big Book while reading. Before the first reading of a new text, it would be appropriate for the teacher to help students activate their prior knowledge through questioning and providing students with a brief introduction of the story. During the first reading of the text, there should only be minimal teaching points included. This will allow the teacher to make the reading more expressive and inviting for the student. According to Mooney (1994), the teacher’s role is to model good reading allowing the children to participate if they are willing. This will also serve as a model for culturally diverse students who are in the midst of acquiring English as a second language and students who are growing as readers.

Once a text has been introduced and used, it is very common that the class will revisit it in a variety of settings. The entire class may revisit the text together with the teacher reading aloud to the class while students opt in and out of the text participating when repeated phrases or common text features appear that they can manage. Revisiting the text as a group will allow students the opportunity to become more involved with the text. Mooney (1994) states that

"Because the children are “in the know,” they will anticipate twists in the plot, interesting words and phrases, and the climax with more enthusiasm. [The teacher] will be able to stop more frequently to draw the children’s attention to alternative meanings, interesting techniques of the author or illustrator, and book and print conventions. The first uninterrupted reading means children now have a context for this “teasing apart” and they will be able to put the story line together without difficulty" (p. 72).

The same text may also be available in smaller forms at centers. This allows the opportunity for students to begin to independently read familiar texts.

Gill, S. R. & Islam, C. (2011). Shared reading goes high-tech. //The Reading Teacher, 65//(3), 224-227.
 * References **

Manning, M. (1997). 14 ways to use shared reading. //Teaching Pre K-8, 28//(1), 129-131.

Manning, M. & Manning, G. (1992). Strategy: Shared reading. //Teaching Pre K-8, 23//(1), 144-146.

Mooney, M. (1994). Shared reading: Making it work for you and your children. //Teaching Pre K-// //8, 25 //(3), 70-72.