Planning a Read-Aloud Event

Strategies to Model and Share With Parents

Phonemic Awareness Strategies

Ask parents and children to clap the syllables in a word—e.g., clap the parts in the word "lone-ly. "
Point out letters (especially letters in words that are familiar to children) and ask what they are.
Talk about the sounds in words. For example, in the phrase "bee buzzed busily," each word begins with the same beginning sound (/b/).
Play with language. Make up nonsense words that rhyme with words or names you read aloud—e.g., Lily: silly, nilly, frilly, jilly.
Ask what sounds words begin and end with—What is the first sound you hear in the word "dog?" What is the last sound you hear in the word "dog?"

Phonics Strategies

Point out letter/sound relationships (use short and familiar words)—"D/d/" "O/o/" "G/g/" Write a few words from the story you are reading on the board or a piece of chart paper, point to each letter and ask parents and children to help you say its sound.
Listen for sounds—ask children and parents to listen for a particular sound in a passage you read. "As I read the next paragraph, raise your hand when you hear a word that begins with the sound /b/."
Sort words—Write words from the story on the board or chart paper. Include and mix words with long vowel sounds (e.g., light) and words with short vowel sounds (e.g., dim). Ask parents and children to help you sort the words into the correct list.
Play with word families (phonograms)—pick a word from the story, such as "car," ask parents and children what the word would be if you changed the "c" to an "f," to a "t," to an "st," etc.
Create a crossword puzzle or play a word game, such as hangman, with words from the story. Ask parents and children to work on it together. There are several websites, such as http://www.edhelper.com/puzzles.htm , where you can find help in creating a crossword puzzle.

Fluency Strategies

Make reading fun by changing your vocal inflections; reading quickly and slowly, loudly and softly, to match the story; acting out characters, etc.
Use your finger to point to words as you read.
When reading aloud, model reading effortlessly and with expression—show excitement, disappointment, sadness.
Have copies of a short text (preferably from your read-aloud book) to share with parents and children. Print the same text on a chart or the board. Model reading the text correctly, marking it as you read (underlining—usually done with a slight scoop, as if drawing a spoon to hold the phrase). Re-read the passage emphasizing how the phrases can make it easier to read smoothly and with feeling. Ask parents and children to read the passage with you (choral reading).
Read the passage aloud again, then ask parents and children to read the passage aloud to you (echo reading).

Vocabulary Strategies

Show parents and children a variety of genres—concept books, poetry, fairy tales, informational texts—that can be used to introduce children to range of vocabulary words.
Label items in the room where your read-aloud event will take place—let parents know they can do this at home as well.
Teach specific words and meanings from the text before reading.
Talk with children and parents about the story, relating words to other experiences children might have had.
Display dictionaries and thesauruses. Demonstrate the use of a dictionary to find word meanings—talk about alphabetic order and using guide words. Demonstrate use of the thesaurus to find words with similar meanings.

Comprehension Strategies

Show the cover and read the title of the book. Ask parents and children to predict what the story will be about, based on the title and cover illustration.
Ask what parents and children already know about the topic of the book.
Ask "wh" questions—who, what, where, why, when—about the book:
- Before reading ("From the cover, what do you thing this book is about?")
- During reading ("What do you think Leigh meant when he said, 'It helps to have a friend'?")
- After reading ("When do you think the Old Woman realized she was lucky?").
Talk about the book as you read using some of these strategies:
- Connect the text to children’s lives ("Who would you write a letter to? What would you tell that person?")
- Point out interesting things about the illustrations in the story ("All the things the Old Woman named look as if they have faces—Betsy, the car; Fred, the chair; Roxanne, the bed; and Franklin, the house")
- Ask children what has happened so far in the story (summarizing)
Use a graphic organizer to help define and illustrate a concept, such as main idea, sequence, or character traits.

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