I love reading books and finding new books that I think my kids will enjoy. I love that you can read a book for pleasure, but you can also read a book and have a great conversation after. When I first started teaching, I loved reading some of my favorite books to my class. If we had extra time I would usually pull out a book and read it to them. I knew it was good to ask them questions while I was reading the story and also at the end. I didn’t yet know how to teach reading skills explicitly through these read alouds.
Two years into my teaching experience I went to a training on interactive read alouds. That professional development was such a big aha moment for me. I learned how to teach reading skills and practice using them in an authentic way.
I felt like I had missed out on teaching good reading skills to my past students. Do you teach reading skills like visualizing during your interactive read aloud? What are some ways you teach them? Let’s chat about teaching reading skills during your read aloud time!
Teaching reading skills while you are doing your interactive read aloud gives you so much bang for your buck. Students are usually captive when you read aloud to them. You can use this time to build and deepen their comprehension skills. You can teach them to infer, visualize, determine what’s important, and synthesize all while we read aloud to them. Additionally, you can also work with them on character development and retelling.
There are so many ways to work with your class during interactive read aloud on different reading skills. When I was teaching in the classroom, I would first introduce the skill by modeling that skill a couple of times in the book we were reading. Then, I would give my students a chance to try the skill by turning and talking with a neighbor. This way they had a chance to share their thoughts. After we had practiced the same skill repeatedly, I would have them stop and jot their thoughts on a sticky note or stop and sketch.
Before I worked on a specific skill with my class during interactive read aloud, I always read the book beforehand. This helped me to know which reading skills the book lent itself to. After I read the book, I could think about where I wanted to stop while reading and either model the reading skill for them or have them practice it. It does take some upfront work and planning, but the payoff for your students is so worth it!
Are you looking for some already planned interactive read aloud lessons that go with fun monthly themes? I’ve been creating monthly lessons that teach reading skills through read alouds. The super exciting part is that they come with the sticky notes already done!
May Read Alouds has eight easy to follow lesson plans, vocabulary activities, and printable sticky notes so you know exactly when to stop and teach and what to say. Grab your May Read Alouds today to be set for read alouds for the month!
Want to know more about teaching interactive read alouds? I’m so excited to be working on a short YouTube video for you all! You don’t want to miss it! CLICK HERE to follow me there and get notified when I share a new video!
Want to use the latest research to boost your readers during small groups? This FREE guide is packed with engaging ideas to help them grow!
I’m a K-1 teacher who is passionate about making lessons your students love and that are easy to implement for teachers. Helping teachers like you navigate their way through their literacy block brings me great joy. I am a lifelong learner who loves staying on top of current literacy learning and practices. Here, you’ll find the tools you need to move your K-2 students forward!
