Interactive Reading

After reading this chapter on Comprehension of text and concepts about books I realized I was agreeing with almost everything that was said. Then I got to the part talking about directed listening/ reading and thinking activity for narrative and expository text. I agree with engaging your students with the preparing them for listening or reading with pre questions like what do you think this book is going to be about though the title or picture on the cover of the book.

            Reading the story they said, “Don’t interrupt the story for lots of discussion.” I would have to disagree but only for younger children. I think during the story if you get the students talking and interacting with the book they are going to be more engaged and more likely to pick up on details of the story. I watched this video and was amazed at how the teacher let the students almost tell the story. I loved how the students let her talk but they also helped her read the book. I think at younger ages we should expand the thoughts of our students with techniques like this. When they become older then you can read them the whole story and really get their input afterwards. I was wondering if anyone had a teacher that taught like this? Was it helpful? Do you think you learn better this way or the way the book says?

            I was also very surprised when the book talked about repeating books. That it helps with children’s reading skills and can really be a positive thing for them. I remember when I was little I use to love Dr. Seuss books; I would ant to read them all the time. I would have thought it would be better to have a child read different books and expand their reading instead of hearing the same book. Was anyone else surprised by this fact? Knowing this now I will implement that in my classrooms if we have down time in my classroom, or we have naptime if I worked with younger children.