Shared reading is a concept that is highly important in the classroom setting, and is an especially important factor of English Learners (ELs). Shared reading is when students and teacher read and examine a text together. This technique requires that the text being read is visible to both the students and the teacher. Most often, shared reading experiences occur with texts that are 1 or 2 reading levels higher than most students of the class are reading. Shared reading encourages active student participation, as well as teacher modeling.
The shared reading concept encourages children to move up to the next reading level, as they are being exposed to texts of a higher level than what they can currently read on their own. Students participating in shared reading exercises get better at reading texts at higher levels. Shared reading is important in the classroom setting because it guides students along the way to reading and comprehending increasingly more difficult texts, as well as preparing them for what comes next in their academic journey. This shared reading concept also applies to parents who are learning the importance of reading aloud at home with their kids.
Shared reading between parents and kids is an important factor because it allows both parents and kids to read and hear the text aloud. By doing this, they are able to learn the sound of words and letters, and are able to learn how to read and comprehend individual words and phrases. Some positive aspects of shared reading include:
- Phonemic awareness: With phonemic awareness ELs are able to hear and reproduce those same sounds and patterns in English.
- Vocabulary: Shared reading allows children to ask for the meaning of words or phrases they do not know or understand. By clearing up any confusion, children are able to create a larger vocabulary bank.
- Fluency: Fluency in English is oftentimes difficult for ELs. Their lack of English proficiency slows down their ability to decode words and blocks their ability to understand the meaning of words and how to combine words to create sentences and be able to hold conversations. Therefore, shared reading helps them understand the language more thoroughly.
- Comprehension: Shared reading helps children comprehend texts better, because they are able to ask their teacher to clarify words or phrases that they do not understand.
Teachers can include bilingual books in their shared reading lists, as ELs will be able to understand their native language, and transfer that knowledge to the English text of the books. Plus it would include Spanish-speaking parents in the process of enjoying a book with their kids at home. Lectura Books offers an array of educational and entertaining bilingual books for educators to read with their students. Additionally, the Latino Family Literacy Project offers webinars for school staff to gain skills on how to increase the academic success of English learners by way of working with Spanish-speaking parents at their school.
