Choral+Reading



Choral Reading By Veronica Vander Weide

Choral reading is reading aloud in unison with a whole class or group of students. Choral reading helps build students' fluency, self-confidence, and motivation. Because students are reading aloud together, students who may ordinarily feel self-conscious or nervous about reading aloud have built-in support.

==Why use choral reading? ==  ==How to use choral reading ==
 * It can provide less skilled readers the opportunity to practice and receive support before being required to read on their own.
 * It provides a model for fluent reading as students listen.
 * It helps improve the ability to read sight words.
 * ~ **When to use:** ||< Before reading ||< During reading ||< After reading ||
 * ~ **How to use:** ||< Individually ||< With small groups ||< Whole class setting ||
 * 1) Choose a book or passage that works well for reading aloud as a group:
 * patterned or predictable
 * not too long; and
 * is at the independent reading level of most students

==Children's books to use with this strategy ==   > //**Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?**// > //**by Bill Martin, Jr. (Holt)**//Picture book > <span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">This title needs no introduction nor do its spin-offs like Baby Bear Baby Bear, What Do You See? , Panda Bear Panda Bear, What Do You See? or Polar Bear Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? <span style="clear: both; color: #da7d37; display: block; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Florian's poems (accompanied by gentle illustrations) are just right for reading aloud as readers theater. > > Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices > by Paul Fleischman (HarperCollins)Poetry > These poems introduce various insects and their lives; ideal for sharing aloud and for relating to informational books on insects. > > Mr. Popper's Penguins > by Richard and Florence Atwater (Little Brown)Easy fiction > This fantastic account of how one family lives with a penguin sent to them by a relative is dramatic and very funny. > <span style="clear: both; color: #da7d37; display: block; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> > You Read to Me, I'll Read to You > by Mary Hoberman (Little Brown)Picture book/easy reader/poetry > The short, humorous, rhyming pieces are color coded for reading in tandem, especially good for grades 1-3 though will be enjoyed by younger. This is the first in a series of books intended to be read aloud in pairs (and may also be appropriate for partner reading though may take it in a different direction). >
 * 1) <span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.4; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 5px 0px 15px 20px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Provide each student a copy of the text so they may follow along. (Note: You may wish to use an overhead projector or place students at a computer monitor with the text on the screen)
 * 2) <span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.4; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 5px 0px 15px 20px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Read the passage or story aloud and model fluent reading for the students.
 * 3) <span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.4; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 5px 0px 15px 20px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ask the students to use a marker or finger to follow along with the text as they read.
 * 4) <span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.4; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 5px 0px 15px 20px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Reread the passage and have all students in the group read the story or passage aloud in unison.
 * Autumnblings
 * by Douglas Florian (HarperCollins)Poetry

for second language learners, students of varying reading skill, and for younger learners

 * Teachers may wish to pair students of varying abilities together and assign each student a different section of the passage to read.