Chapter 5

Chapter 5 – Read to someone and listen to reading
“We need a definite purpose, a specific reason for listening, otherwise we don’t pay attention and don’t really hear or understand.”  - Robert Montgomery.
Read to someone
Reading with someone helps students read independently and grow as readers; it helps them become more self-sufficient and less reliant on teachers for assistance. It has also been noted to increase (p60):
-  
- The volume of reading
- The level of attention to reading
- Reading motivation
- Fluency
- Reading rate
- Word attack skills
- The love of reading
 
 
Introducing read to someone
Focus Lesson Day 1:
EEKK
Introduce the concept of EEKK to the students, explaining that when we read we need to sit ‘elbow to elbow, knee to knee’ and model this with a student.  The sisters use a story about a spider as a fun way to introduce this on p63.
Voice
“The loudest voice in the room is the one that regulates the noise level.” P64. A very soft voice is purposefully modeled when showing children how to read to someone. This is example is also modeled by the teacher throughout the term – the teacher should not be the loudest voice in the room!
Check for understanding
One student in the pair holds a check mark (tick) as a visual cue to remind them to check for understanding after their partner has read. Model with a student: have them read a page/paragraph to you, then summarise what they read (who, what, where) i.e. check for understanding, then switch roles. First model correct understanding, then model language to be used if their summary/understanding was incorrect (see p65 for detailed example), then model student re reading the page and their partner re checking their understanding.
I-chart, modeling, practice, and check-in
After modeling create an I-chart: Read to someone. Ask students if a visitor walked into our classroom while we were doing read to a partner, what would they see?
1 -3 sets of partners are then asked to come to the front and model the correct behaviours of read to someone, firstly the undesirable behaviours than desirable behaviours. The teacher then gives students a partner and a place in the room and they practice for 3-4 minutes. After practicing, students refer back to the I-chart and reflect on each aspect and set goals for next practice.
Focus Lesson Day 2:
I Read, You read
Begin by reviewing Day 1. Refer to new anchor chart title ‘Ways to Read to Someone’, review strategy from lesson 1 ‘Check for understanding’ and add to chart. Introduce ‘I read, You read’ - one person reads a page or paragraph than the other person reads the same page/paragraph, and add to the I chart. Model how to sit, select who reads first (most fluent person), then have students discuss how this improves their reading. Finally add ‘Read two different books’ to the I chart and review all three strategies.
Students then practice, repeat modeling, and check in to build stamina as per lesson 1.
Focus Lesson Day 3:
How to choose books
Review lesson 1 and 2. Discuss strategies for how to choose a book such as ‘Make a deal’, ‘Two different books’, or Scissors, Paper, Rock.
Focus Lesson Day 4:
Choosing your own classroom spot
Review the I chart for ‘read to someone’. Teacher still selects partners, then students move off in pairs and independently select their spot within the classroom and the way in which they will read to a partner. Add another 1-2 minutes to previous days time.
Focus Lesson Day 5:
How to choose a partner
Review I-chart. Discuss strategies for selecting a partner without yelling across the room, discuss who makes a good partner and reinforce that it’s not always your closest friend.
Focus Lesson Day 6:
Coaching or time
This is one of my favourite aspects of the ‘read to someone’ instruction process! Students discuss the role of a coach on sports team and relate this to being a reading coach for their partner. Create a new chart with the title “Reading Coach”; discuss with students what happens when they get stuck on a word when reading with a partner, and what the partner should do. Students are then taught to count silently to 3 before asking their partner if they need ‘time or coaching’. If their partner asks for time they must wait patiently while they try to work out the word, if the partner asks for coaching they refer to the coaching sheet (p74) and recommend the best strategy for that word.
 
Listen to Reading
Children come with varying backgrounds and experiences of being read to; listening to reading in class helps bolster these home experiences and improve students reading abilities.
Day 1
- Brainstorm chart of expected behavious
- Model and practice material set of CD, audio book, ipod
- Model and practice listening and following along with the words or pictures
Day 2
- Review I chart
- Model and practice putting materials away neatly
Day 3
- Review I  chart
- Model and practice listening to a short story, finishing it, and starting a new story
- Model and practice what to do if work time is up before the story is finished
Day 4
- Review I chart
- Discuss the number of listening devices available
- Decide on a way that allows all to participate (who is first, second, third etc).
 
The students in my class love listening to audio versions of books and it is great to see them truly excited to follow along with a story. I have also found that they built up stamina with the reading to partner quite well, although I hadn’t introduced the ‘time, coaching’ concept as yet which I love! I will definitely be introducing that this term!
I am loving incorporating the daily 5 into my literacy block and have had positive feedback from parents and students, so hope to do so even further this term. The one minor dilemma I’m having at the moment is where do you display all these I-charts? Do you ‘publish’ them, or put them up as is (I know in the excitement of recording all the students responses I can lose sometimes focus on neatness!)?
Amy