When thinking about the literacy rich environment that our students should be immersed in, there are many elements that should be considered and included. Teachers should be well prepared for read alouds that are conducted by providing intentional vocabulary words, creating suspense, building background knowledge, making connection and strengthening the language skills of students, as well as their understanding. As said in one of my favorite professional text, In Defense of Read-Aloud by Steven L. Layne, "The single most important activity for building knowledge required for eventual success in reading is reading aloud to children." Exposing students to a variety of genres rather than only certain and few genres, gives students a greater opportunity to fall in love with a series or genre that best reaches them, which will create motivation and engagement. Interactive read alouds, scaffolded reading experiences, and book talks are examples of some of the many different models that may be used as a teacher when planning and diving into literature with students to create an engaging experience. With the combination of these aspects, concepts such as vocabulary, feelings, problem and solution, lessons and morals can all be focuses taught by the teacher and provide exposure to those students that may not be exposed to literature and similar experiences at home.
USING A VARIETY OF GENRES |
INTENTIONAL VOCABULARY |
INTERACTIVE READ ALOUDS
|
|
SCAFFOLDED READING
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BOOK TALKS |
REFERENCES
Carle, E. (2018). The tiny seed. New York: Little Simon.
English Language Arts Standards » Reading: Literature » Grade 1. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RL/1/
Graves, M., & Graves, B. (1994). Scaffolding reading experiences. Norwood, MA:Christopher-Gordon.
Henkes, K. (2016). Chrysanthemum. New York: Greenwillow Books.
Hogan, K., & Pressley, M. (Eds.). (1997). Scaffolding student learning: Instructional approaches and issues. Cambridge, MA: Brookline Books.
Layne, S. L., & Routman, R. (2015). In defense of read-aloud: sustaining best practice. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.
Ludwig, Trudy, and Patrice Barton. The Invisible Boy. Alfred A. Knopf, 2013.
North Carolina Essential Standards First Grade Theatre Arts. (n.d.). Public Schools of North Carolina.
North Carolina Essential Standards Health Education- Grades K – 2 [PDF]. (n.d.). Public Schools of North Carolina.
Palacio, R. J. Were All Wonders. Alfred A. Knopf, 2017.
Vacca, R. T., Vacca, J. L., & Mraz, M. E. (2017). Content area reading: Literacy and learning across the curriculum (11th or 12th ed.). Boston: Pearson. (Loose Leaf Text with Access Code for Digital Text: ISBN-13: 978-0134068824; Access Code for Digital Text: ISBN 978-0134228327)
English Language Arts Standards » Reading: Literature » Grade 1. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RL/1/
Graves, M., & Graves, B. (1994). Scaffolding reading experiences. Norwood, MA:Christopher-Gordon.
Henkes, K. (2016). Chrysanthemum. New York: Greenwillow Books.
Hogan, K., & Pressley, M. (Eds.). (1997). Scaffolding student learning: Instructional approaches and issues. Cambridge, MA: Brookline Books.
Layne, S. L., & Routman, R. (2015). In defense of read-aloud: sustaining best practice. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.
Ludwig, Trudy, and Patrice Barton. The Invisible Boy. Alfred A. Knopf, 2013.
North Carolina Essential Standards First Grade Theatre Arts. (n.d.). Public Schools of North Carolina.
North Carolina Essential Standards Health Education- Grades K – 2 [PDF]. (n.d.). Public Schools of North Carolina.
Palacio, R. J. Were All Wonders. Alfred A. Knopf, 2017.
Vacca, R. T., Vacca, J. L., & Mraz, M. E. (2017). Content area reading: Literacy and learning across the curriculum (11th or 12th ed.). Boston: Pearson. (Loose Leaf Text with Access Code for Digital Text: ISBN-13: 978-0134068824; Access Code for Digital Text: ISBN 978-0134228327)