Do you have a scheduled time for you to read aloud to the children? If so, do you read picture books or chapter books? How much time do you allot? I know reading aloud is so important but I know many are using sites like razkids as their read aloud time instead. Thanks
While I'm not in 1st, without a doubt you should have a time where you are reading aloud. And at that age, I'd suggest perhaps doing a bit of both: some picture books, but also some beginning chapter books so that they are exposed to them! Remember that when reading aloud, you are not only introducing students to new books/series, you're sharing a love of reading, providing an opportunity for authentic practice of comprehension skills, modeling fluent reading that contains plenty of expression, and developing a classroom community (just to name a few things).
Yes! When I taught grade 1 I did 2 scheduled read alouds every day - a picture book after morning recess and a chapter book a after lunch recess. Each one took 10-20 minutes depending on length of book and how carried away we got with our discussions & responses.
My favorite time was first thing in the morning. Most of my career was in 3rd grade, and I'd spend 15 minutes in a chapter book. There are two schools of thought on this, but personally, I read with appropriate natural expression and differing voices for each character. For realistic fiction, I didn't alter my voice that much, just enough to show it was another person; but for other types of fiction, the sky was the limit. My absolute favorite read-aloud was O. Henry's short story The Ransom of Red Chief; I had a blast with the voices, especially the crook who took the brunt of Red Chief's antics: when he was in trouble, he really let out a holler! When appropriate, I'd also read a picture book related to a specific subject. My favorite picture book, that I'd read on Pi Day, was Sir Cumference and the Knights of the Round Table. For 1rst grade, I'd recommend both, picture books and chapter books/short stories. One advantage of reading aloud is that the students are exposed to upgraded rhetoric and vocabulary. In 3rd grade, I'd often choose books that were way beyond the students' current independent reading level. When doing so, however, I'd also have to plan discussion times to ensure the students were adapting to the content, because if they have no prior knowledge to connect with, then they have difficulty understanding even a read-aloud. Discussion enhances their current understanding and preps them for future such challenges. For 1rst grade, there are many easier to read chapter books and book series. The advantage of a chapter book or series is that the students become familiar with the characters and style of writing which enhances other reading situations they encounter individually. It also adds to the fun wondering what will happen the next day. Again, with respect to a differing school of thought on this, I would recommend shying away from some of the easy to read books that, due to their limited vocabulary or sentence length, are choppy in their rhetoric. Seriously, (off the subject of read-alouds) early in my career, I had to use a similar basal reader in my reading groups. Honestly, some of the stories were so-o-o-o choppy, I couldn't understand them without rereading and asking myself, what in the world is the author talking about! Modern technology has provided a wealth of oral reading material for students. I have mixed feelings about this. I think it's wonderful that students now have an option to listen to stories, and that they can individually choose which audible books to listen to. This especially increases their selection of material to be exposed to, especially material that is beyond their current ability level. On the other hand, nothing can replace the human teacher or parent reading aloud. Research indicates that listening to the parent or teacher builds the child's inner reading voice; that inner voice becomes a crucial mediator between challenging text and previously stored information in the brain. It also develops fluency. I'm not so sure a computer can adequately replace this experience. I also wonder, during at home computer usage, how much of computer time is spent on such pursuits--I just now googled what games enchant today's kids, a lot of Disney and Batman (I guess that much hasn't changed since the 60's when I was a kid)--and I suppose some amount of computer play is profitable, but I recall when PC's first became standard home equipment. The plug was how educational they were, and they can be. But are kids today really plugging into the educational value of the computer? (Are adults for that matter).
No matter what the grade level, we need to spend time reading aloud to our students! I've read for enjoyment and instruction. I've read in different content areas. Sometimes, I've read to calm my students down. I've read after recess, at the end of the day, in the morning etc. Best time to read depends on the class and your purpose for reading to them.
Yes, in my first grade class we have a read aloud everyday right before independent reading. Each week, I pick a comprehension focus for the read aloud (ex: predictions, connections, problem/solution, etc). Usually, we read picture books, but towards the spring I read 3 chapterbooks. Right now we're reading the chapter book My Father's Dragon.
Kids tend to have a higher listening comprehension than reading comprehension, up to a certain development. Therefore, reading aloud is essential because they are using comprehension skills levels above what they could independently read.
Yes, I do! I allot about ten minutes during circle time to story time/a read aloud. On days I do not have a read aloud planned, we do something else such as flash cards, study skills, sight words, and cross-circular topics. Sometimes, I plan a quick online game (on smartboard) or a brainpop/important discussion.
Yes, I agree that reading aloud develops students’ interest in reading. Reading aloud to students’ is a way to model reading to them. By listening to their teachers read also helps students to improve on their reading fluency. I do this at least by reading two books to my students, ones in the morning and before home time and time permits I read one before lunch. I feel that it is a better way to improve students’ comprehension skills rather than students reading themselves with little understanding. If you access to reading eggs, it another great site to use with interactive activities.
Yap it is a great way for kids to build interest in reading. I usually allow my kids to choose these reading books which they want me to read. This happens every week during our library lessons. My guided reading groups get their turns to pick books they like to listen me reading in class. Once they listen to me reading these books, their interest builds up in reading the same book themselves.
My favorite time was first thing in the morning. Most of my career was in 3rd grade, and I'd spend 15 minutes in a chapter book. There are two schools of thought on this, but personally, I read with appropriate natural expression and differing voices for each character. For realistic fiction, I didn't alter my voice that much, just enough to show it was another person; but for other types of fiction, the sky was the limit. My absolute favorite read-aloud was O. Henry's short story The Ransom of Red Chief; I had a blast with the voices, especially the crook who took the brunt of Red Chief's antics: when he was in trouble, he really let out a holler! When appropriate, I'd also read a picture book related to a specific subject. My favorite picture book, that I'd read on Pi Day, was Sir Cumference and the Knights of the Round Table.