Interactive Read Aloud in Six Easy Steps...

Interactive Read Aloud has completely changed the way I teach reading! I want to shout this from the teachers lounge rooftop :) My school has been teaching Lucy Calkins' Writing Workshop for the past several years. At the beginning of THIS year, I was asked to be a Reading Workshop "lab classroom" which basically means I committed myself to learning how to teach Reading Workshop and then sharing my experience with my colleagues. If you are already familiar with Writing Workshop, the Reading Workshop format is very similar:

- 5-15 minute mini lesson

- 15-30 minutes of independent reading (while you are conferring or leading strategy groups)

- 5 minute "Readers Share"

Planning for Reading Workshop is easier than planning for ANY reading program I have ever taught. That is a hands-down, absolute, total FACT. I can work with every reader individually and I can teach the rigorous Common Core standards through REAL literature (which I love!). I outlined the six steps that I think can get any K-5 teacher started with teaching Reading Workshop through an Interactive Read Aloud...

The Common Core standards are a great starting place as the goal for what our students need to be able to do to be successful readers. They are challenging. They are deep. They are asking a lot. I have found that by breaking up the standards into smaller skills, I have a great outline for what I need to teach throughout the year. I have actually broken the standards down into skills and strategies for grades 1-5. Click on the links to find the grade level you need: Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5