Favorite Practice #2 - Snapping Good Read Alouds

First the problem with read alouds:

I used to be paralyzed with fear at the thought of teaching in the lowest grades of elementary school. I teach math - algebra, geometry, equations, exponents. I'm not equipped to teach reading.

Like many I have taught a single person how to read; I did the whole Hop on Pop/Cat in the Hat thing with my sister and would claim her as one of my earliest pupils. However, reading with one person is 1/1000th as hard as teaching a class of squirmy, distracted students.

That's why read alouds are great. 1) Teacher reads, everyone else follows along. 2) It mimics the benefits of the reading-learning relationship between a reader and his sister/child/friend/etc.

However, there are many problems with the read aloud.

1. Can't tell who is listening at any given point in time.
2. Don't know if they are reading or just listening.
3. Hard to tell whether there is comprehension until its Q and A time.

So finally, Best Practice #2 goes to a second grade teacher at Achievement First Crown Heights for his use of a snapping good read aloud.

The simple method works like this:

1. Teacher reads.
2. Teacher pauses.
3. Teacher snaps.
4. All students reads the next word.
5. Repeat steps 1-4.
6. Q and A time.

This easily solves read aloud problems #1 and #2 above. #3 is trickier, but its a lot easier using this method than otherwise.

Now read alouds are a snap. And fun for the kids too.