Interactive Read Alouds.....What They Are, How To Use Them & Why They Are So Important!

How do you teach reading whole group? I use interactive read alouds and it has been a game changer in my classroom not only for comprehension but participation! 

This is a long post but FULL of information and if you make it to the end there is a free week long lesson for you!

What are Interactive Read Alouds (IRAs)?

Interactive read alouds are a way to teach your whole group reading lesson where the teacher will read aloud a text and pause at different parts of the text for conversation. The students will talk about the text or respond to it either as a whole group, or with a partner(s). This process helps readers listen actively in order to process the meaning of the text. 

Why are IRAs Important?

Interactive read alouds are a great way to teach important reading skills while having the students stay focused and involved. When teaching with this method, students will be listening, thinking, talking with a partner, writing, sharing and so much more. Each week there will be one main standard focused on but other standards will also be tied in just as a brief introduction of that skill or a review. 

How I Use IRAs 

I begin every day’s lesson by using the “When we talk posters” to go over our read aloud rules. When we talk we….. *Explain our thinking* *Use a strong voice* *Track the speaker* *Wait our turn.* Students are taught that they can’t just answer without backing up their answer with “because.” They can disagree with someone’s answer but again they have to follow up why they disagree with “because.” They have to speak loud enough for everyone to hear. I randomly call on students to repeat what another student said so everyone has to be able to hear. 

Before I call on a student to answer, I say “let’s track (student’s name). That means all eyes should be on that student that is answering to show respectful listening manners. After we review the rules I say the “I can” statement for the day. It’s posted on my anchor chart for the week. Next, we go over our essential question for the week and discuss the weekly vocabulary words. We have three words each week. We come up with a hand gesture for each word and every time they hear that word during the week they perform the hand gesture that matches. *Examples* feast-we acted like we had a fork and we were eating male-boys pointed to themselves and the girls pointed to a boy beside them.

Weekly IRA Layout

Each day’s lesson typically takes about 30 minutes. I write the questions I will be asking that day on a sticky note with the day of the week I want to ask them and stick it on the appropriate page. That way I know when to stop in the book to talk. My students have a reading journal they bring to the carpet with them every day to complete their writing responses in. 

You will use an anchor chart that your class will add to throughout the week that will include the essential question for the week, vocabulary words, standard being covered and their learning.

*On Monday you will mainly focus on just reading the whole book all the way through with little interruptions. Students will listen for vocabulary words and have a writing response to complete.  

*Tuesday you will read the first half of the book again. Students will turn and talk with their partner, have a writing response to complete, listen for vocabulary words and this is the first day you will really start discussing the weekly standard. 

*Wednesday is a copy of Tuesday but you will read the last half of the book. 

*Thursday and Friday will be when students complete some type of culminating activity to go along with the book or weekly standard. It may be a project that takes both days to complete or it may be a different activity each day. Some weeks it may be using a different book to do some comparing and contrasting.

What is a Culminating Activity?

Culminating activities are what the students will complete after your deep study of the text. They will require students to think about the most important things you presented to them during the week aligning to the standard being taught. This gives them the opportunity to demonstrate their level of mastery over the standard. They could be anything from speaking, drawing, writing, etc. but the main purpose is to allow students to show their mastery in a meaningful practice. Most include a cute craft that can go along with the lesson for that day. 

Want To Try It Out For Free?

If you think this is something your class would enjoy then try out a week's lesson for free. This lesson uses the book Who Would Win? Rhino vs. Hippo. If you don't have the book it is available on YouTube. I like to mute the reader so I can read it to my class and pause on the pages where I need students to discuss. 

Thanks for reading and I truly hope you try out IRAs in your classroom and that you and your students enjoy it!