Shared Reading Activities

Shared reading can be an enjoyable family experience. It provides a setting for slowing down and savoring life. For a long time, it was considered a lost art, but shared reading has seen a revival over the last several years. Lately, studies have shown that reading aloud to children fosters a life-long love of reading.

If reading aloud is a new activity for your family, or you are meeting with resistance, a special space used for read alouds is a perfect way to make it more inviting. Propping up big pillows in a corner, or building a fort and reading inside of it, can create an out-of-the ordinary adventure. Reading while using different voices for each character might also renew enthusiasm for reading aloud.

Selecting a Book

Once a space has been chosen, which book to select can seem intimidating. After all, there are so many choices! If you are just embarking on reading aloud as a family, I suggest that you choose a story with plenty of excitement and a plot that is easy to understand. Laura Ingalls Wilder's series, often referred to as "The Little House" series, is a great place to begin. These books have adventure, history, and plenty of ideas for supplementing your reading with activities. Your children can mimic the games that Laura and Mary played. Or, your family can experiment with recipes similar to those you are reading about. You could also try some pioneer crafts. Dipping candles, braiding rope, and knitting socks could be humorous and enlightening. If longer books seem a bit ambitious, try using picture books. Your local librarian can likely provide suggestions. 

Creative Methods for Shared Reading

While reading together, give your child a chance to read one or two paragraphs aloud. This time can be used for reading practice, or instruction on inflection and pacing. It also provides a means for identifying your child's reading strengths and weaknesses. Taking turns reading will also help engage listeners, while providing a rest for the parent. Shared reading can be used to stimulate discussion. As the story unfolds, you can talk about the characters' actions, feelings and choices. In addition, plot points and vocabulary can be clarified as the story unfolds.

Sometimes, the thought of shared reading is burdensome, fearful, or overwhelming for a parent. If this is the case, consider recorded books. They are generally available at the library. You can check them out in CD form, or download them to your computer. Play them in the car, or in the area you designated for reading. The family can listen together and still have the benefits of a experiencing good literature, a basis for conversation, and exposure to new ideas and vocabulary. After all, shared reading is not meant to make more work, but to educate while enhancing family dynamics.

Shared Reading Activities:

Word Identification - Shared Reading teaches strategies for better word recognition.  The book "If You Give A Mouse A Cookie" by Laura Joffe Numeroff is used.  A poem anthology, "You Be Good and I’ll Be Night" is also supplemental material.  Visual imagination of the story is stressed, along with specific literature elements.

Word Recognition Skills has worksheets using labeling techniques for key words. The lesson is aimed for kindergarten and first grades. However, the same ideas can be used with more complex words for older grades.  A matching of simple words and their synonyms can be utilized.

A Taste of Blackberries has fourth graders understand the loss of a best friend, and how to be a good family member.  It has children keep focus by noting facts on a bookmark.  Writing exercises using letter format or a list of how to handle grief are introduced. 

Reading Plans – Poem Puzzle has students practice listening and participating skills.  A poem is written on a chart, line by line.  After the poem is gone over several times, it is then cut up.  The children try to piece the poem together.

Shared Reading – Synonyms and Antonyms is used as  a means to recognize and decipher the differences between synonyms and antonyms.  The reading of poetry is the method to teach these literature concepts.  The replacing of words is used in the existing poem as part of the lesson.

Discussion Question:

What are your favorite shared reading activities and books?