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While I was coaching Mrs. Cap, we discussed the importance of actively involving Calvin and her other struggling readers in monitoring their own comprehension and sharing their understandings or connections.
We decided that in order for Mrs. Cap’s students to get the most out of her interactive read alouds, high expectations would be set and active participation with text was a non-negotiable. Therefore, her interactive read aloud lessons were planned around the “big idea” that students would explore during talk time.
Once the big idea was determined, we worked back from that idea and wrote open-ended questions on sticky notes. I modeled for her purposeful placement of the notes throughout a pre-selected text to be used with her class. I explained to her that these open ended response stems would support her students’ small group discussions and provided the depth of thought they needed for meaningful dialogue. We planned for her students to think about segregation, Rosa Parks, and Jim Crow. These were the big ideas that her class would focus on as she read. They would write their wonderings or thoughts on sticky notes.
Calvin and Mrs. Cap
STUDENT and Mrs. TEACHER
During classroom walk-throughs, I noted that Mrs. Cap’s relationship with Calvin was changing. After incorporating interactive read alouds into her classroom routine, Mrs. Cap helped Calvin find his inner voice! Best of all, his classroom participation grew and he wasn’t showing up every day at my office door! I am pleased to say that by the end of the year, Calvin earned his first passing grade in reading. Moreover, at her end-of-year conference, Mrs. Cap thanked me for helping her implement a strategy that could actually help Calvin.
Chalk up another win for Interactive Read Alouds!
Student Response
CLICK HERE FOR FOUNTAS AND PINNELL PDF ON INTERACTIVE READING
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