Module 1: Living and Learning in the PreK Classroom

In their article "Repeated interactive read-alouds in preschool and kindergarten," Lea M. McGee and Judith A Schickedanz (2007) discuss an approach to making read aloud meaningful and academically beneficial in preschool and kindergarten classrooms. The authors suggest using repeated interactive read-alouds as a way to share books with children. Their observations have shown that most primary classrooms lack sophisticated picture books and rely too heavily on predictable texts. In the interactive read aloud teachers use sophisticated texts to “model the role of ideal reader as they read aloud” (p.343). 

There are three rounds of reading aloud that consist of the same four components that become progressively more student driven as they go on.  Each of the three read alouds begins a book introduction that is crafted “to make the problem exist” since young readers do not often naturally focus on this aspect of a story (p.344). Next the teacher inserts vocabulary support for 5-10 pre-selected words with a verbal, visual, or kinesthetic enhancement. While reading the teacher thinks aloud about what is happening in the story, modeling active reading strategies and asking questions to the students. Finally, each individual read aloud ends with an after reading “why” question that is scaffolded with additional questions as needed for students to answer the overarching question. What is unique about the third and final reading is that during the final read-aloud students are actively reconstructing the story (p.346). In all, this approach helps students to develop analytic discussion skills that will be beneficial as they continue developing as readers.

This method of sharing picture books is important because of the academic literacy benefits that it provides to young readers. It is critical that emergent readers develop comprehension skills and expand their vocabulary, and interactive read-aloud is the perfect vehicle to make this happen. The authors discuss how simply reading a book to students has minimal effect on “accelerating children’s oral vocabulary development and listening comprehension” (p. 343). This approach is systematic and gives preschool and kindergarten teachers a framework to employ during their reading block so that the read aloud can do exactly what a standard read aloud is often unable to do for young readers.

It is important that early literacy educators take the time to prepare for this type of instruction. Reading through the illustrated example for Oonga Boonga (p.348-350) it is clear that teachers need to be planning their questions, selecting their vocabulary, and determining what will be a part of the book introduction before beginning each read-aloud. This preparatory work will allow early childhood educators to maximize read aloud time and the potential for increasing oral comprehension and developing vocabulary. It is also important that preschool and kindergarten teachers select high quality books that are sophisticted and not predictable in order for this method to be effective.

      To end, I would like to share a video that does an excellent job of modeling the first interactive read-aloud in a kindergarten classroom in line with the article we read this week. The teacher shows how dramatic gestures, pointing to salient parts of the illustration, and inserting a word explanation while reading (p.344) are all ways to support her students' vocabulary development. She also models thinking aloud, even having the students practice sentence starters that they can use to answer during reading and after reading questions with a partner. 

        

McGee, L. M., & Schickedanz, J. A. (2007, May). Repeated interactive read-alouds in preschool and kindergarten. International Reading Association, 60(8), 343-351. 

Literacy Autobiography

              From the earliest age that I can recall I remember my parents encouraging me to read. My dad used to read Goodnight Moon to me nightly when I was going to sleep. Eventually he has told me that I would pretend to be reading the book back to him without even looking at the words. When I was little I had to take a nebulizer before bed and the only way I would sit still for him to administer the medication was if he would read to me during the process. Besides being read to from birth, I also remember seeing my parents as readers.   I remember a dialogue between my dad and I that went something like this. I asked my dad “What are you doing?” He replied, “I am reading.” To which I asked, “How can you be reading? I don’t hear you.” Once I understood that reading didn’t have to be out loud, I would want to be a part of the experience with my dad. When he finished a section he would give it to me to “read” and I would try to mimic the way he held it up.  

             I do not remember exactly how or when I learned to read, but I do not recall any struggles and I was excited to read in my free time. Upon entering kindergarten I had the basics down because I remember getting special stickers for knowing the alphabet and being able to write my name. My parents supported my reading journey in school by constantly reading with me at home. Trips to the library with my dad and brother were common weekend endeavors growing up, and even though I now read on a digital reader, I will often go to the library or a book store to add books I want to read to the list I keep on my phone. 

            Throughout elementary school I prepared book reports on bare books. These reports required a combination of reading and writing skills. We would read a book as a book club and then prepare a variety of pages like character profiles, summaries, and illustrations. In early elementary school I recall creating one of these reports for a Judy Blume book. I enjoyed reading the book and even more presenting my work to my classmates. In general my memories of literacy in elementary school were positive. In reflection I feel that these early positive literacy experiences allowed me to be eager to read in middle school and high school.

            As I entered middle school I began to see the shift between learning to read and reading to learn. Of course at the time I didn't realize this was happening, but there was much less time spent in class learning active reading strategies and more time spent reading content area texts in order to gain information. Every class besides English had a textbook, and while most of the reading was done at home, the expectation was that we were reading because texts assessed what we learned in class and what we read. In English class where we read novels there was never a choice of what we read. We all read To Kill a Mockingbird in seventh grade and Romeo and Juliet in eighth grade. My independent reading wavered somewhat at this time because of the academic reading demands, but I did not develop a distaste for reading. 

           In high school reading became a part of every course I took. I recall reading in my science and social studies classes in preparations for assessments and at times even in class. The heaviest reading workload I had was during AP U.S. History. The textbook was quite dense and I do not remember the teacher giving us any specific strategies for how to best read it. I recall taking a lot of notes as I read and creating outlines for each of the chapters. I think that this strategy for tackling the text came from conversations I had with upperclassmen who had already taken the class. I don't recall much active engagement with the text. The work in class ranged from debates to simulations and analyzing primary source documents rather than reading, but the success of the activities seemed to depend on whether or not we had done the reading. 

            By college, reading became a necessity to be a successful student. Most of my reading was class material and most of my writing was nonfiction to fit a particular assignment. As a competent reader and writer I was able to use the skills I had gained throughout my literacy development to be successful in my college courses. I try, even with my reading for graduate school and PLCs at work, to always be reading a fiction book of my own. I enjoy historical fiction, especially books that took place during the holocaust or slavery times. Some I have enjoyed recently are Wench, Sarah's Key, The Kitchen House, and The Baker's Daughter. Most recently I read the realistic fiction book Kitchens of the Great Midwest over the summer. 
          As a fourth grade reading teacher I use my positive and true experiences with reading to connect with my students. This year I began a system where we display what we are reading in a library envelope and I have included one for myself and my student teacher. Currently mine lists the textbook for our graduate class. I explained to my students that even as an adult I am still a reader and reading is a critical part of my life and success as a teacher. Making reading a shared experiences allows some reluctant readers to "buy in" and helps to shape their early reading lives. I do not remember a specific teacher who did this for me, but reading was never a chore and I hope to develop the same mindset in my students.