Let's Read Together

What is Shared Reading?

This occurs when you and all your pupils are able to see the same text. If you're fortunate enough, every pupil will have an identical copy of your book. However, if this isn't possible, perhaps you can screen a copy of the text on the classroom projector for all to see.

Shared reading doesn't necessarily mean reading from a book. Texts can take the form of poems or songs. Reader's Theater are scripts that encourage many pupils to read the parts of different characters. They're easily found online (see Resources) and can be either printed or projected on a large screen.

Parents of very young children often read stories to them at bedtime, creating a magical, intimate bond between them. Teachers are privileged to do the same. If possible, take the pupils away from their desks and either sit in a circle around a rug or under a shady tree in the school yard. Children love anything that's different from their usual routine and this cosy circle as opposed to the rigid classroom setting may serve as a welcome break for you all.

The teacher usually reads and the pupils follow along in their books. Remember to read at a pace that enables the pupils to follow. Pupils who are not yet able to read are allowed to listen and enjoy. Modelling correct pronunciation and voice expressions is invaluable, which is why the teacher must be the ones to read aloud. Every so often though, it's nice to encourage the pupils to read too. Reward them for doing this; it will increase their motivation to volunteer to read in class more often!

Hundreds of ebooks can be accessed online and screened on your projector, which enables many pupils to read along while the stories are read to them.

If your school is participating in the English Libraries program this year, you will have 30 copies of Aladdin for your 5th graders and another 30 copies of The Secret Garden. These books have been especially adapted for our schools, and include translations of difficult words and phrases into both Hebrew and Arabic.

We advise you to distribute copies of these books at the beginning of every Shared Reading lesson and collect them at the end, or they just might disappear. If you have more than one class of each level at your school, you can take them from class to class. See below for related clips and suggested worksheets to enhance your pupils' enjoyment of these books.

http://www.eslprintables.com/cinema_and_television/movies/movies_for_kids/aladdin/

http://www.sparklebox.co.uk/literacy/fairytales/aladdin.html#.WmsvCqiWbIU

http://www.connectthedots101.com/Cartoons/Aladdin-connect-the-dots

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EU_1zClop9E (Aladdin: animated movie)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoKuIhtUI-s (The Secret Garden: animated movie)