Components+of+an+Effective+Read+Aloud

The **components to an effective read aloud are: 1.The books that are chosen for the read-alouds matched students' interests and the reading level they were at, 2. the selections had been previewed and practiced by the teacher, and 3.a clear purpose for the read alouds was determined ([|Fisher 2011]). Then, 4, Teachers modeled fluency in reading while they read the text to the students by using animation and expression, and teachers stopped during the text and asked students pertinant information about what the teacher was reading to determine if the students understood what was being read to them ([|Fisher 2011]). Finally, connections for the students were made with independent reading and writing activities ([|Fisher 2011]). Finally, some expert teachers gathered students to the front of the room for their read alouds, but this was not done with all the teachers in the study** ([|Fisher 2011]).

 In discussing the text, read-alouds by teachers whose students did well on reading tests suggested that one talk about the book before, during and after the read-aloud ([|Fisher 2011]). Some teachers ahead of time used **sticky notes on pages** with questions on them to ask students about the story thus far ([|Fisher 2011]). Teachers who did read-alouds wanted students to connect with the story and their own lives ([|Fisher 2011]). In their writing, the teachers wanted read-alouds to be a part of an integrated literacy program. They would give the students prompts to write about or the genre or the author who wrote the book ([|Fisher 2011]). Although Kindergarteners might not be able to do all these things, (this article was aimed at third graders and above), but Kindergarteners can listen to the pitch of a teachers voice and certainly tell a teacher what the story is about. First graders, may be able to write a bit during writing time about the read-aloud for that particular day.  From another source ([|McGee & Schickedanz 2011]), **read-alouds are only effective when children are actively participating in the discussion--i.e.--asking and answering questions instead of just listening to stories. These read-alouds that are interactive or "dialogic" usually result "in vocabulary gains**" ([|McGee & Schickedanz 2011]). In read-alouds, one should use "vocabulary enhancers" --what the researchers of this article means is that you should do the action if it is something they haven't heard of before or say for instance a German Shepard--that is a type of dog, a short but succinct definition is the way to go ([|McGee & Schickedanz 2011]).  In effective read-alouds, when **words are not in a child's vocabulary, the teacher should stop and give short definitions to the words** and **ask questions to make sure that the class is understanding what is being read ([|McGee & Schickedanz 2011]).** An effective read-aloud should also incorporate rereading of the book to the students ([|McGee & Schickedanz 2011]). A teacher should also make a list of vocabulary words foreign to the students so that they may increase their vocabulary due to the read-aloud, but the teacher should stop at the word during the read-aloud and give them a short explaination as to the definition of the word ([|McGee & Schickedanz 2011]). Teachers should use, when they can, non-fiction books, even in classrooms with at risk students because these books often give vocabulary that is richer than easier chilren's books and allow for children to think up the ending; while other books might have endings that are easily guessible ([|McGee & Schickedanz 2011]).

**The effective components to read-alouds according to McGee and Schickedanz are as follows: "...book introduction, vocabulary support techniques, analytical comments and questions, and an after reading ,"why" question** ([|McGee & Schickedanz 2011], pg.743-744). One should also give the book a proper introduction, so that, students will be listening for the "problem" the character in the book deals with--without giving away the story ([|McGee & Schickedanz 2011]). In a read-aloud introduction, one can show the front of the book, the title page and the last page of the story rather than having a picture walk--which is when you look at all the pages in a story first ([|McGee & Schickedanz 2011]).  When reading a read-aloud, teachers should be familiar enough with the book to maintain eye contact with their students, to gesture, "use expression and dramatic pauses", with variations in the reading pace ([|McGee & Schickedanz 2011]; pg.744).

** Text-Talk and Dialogic are two ways children can use read-alouds (Mckeown 2005). Dialogic is when the child becomes the story-teller and text-talk is questions about the story asked after it has been read (Mckeown 2005). **