Young children are just starting to pay attention to and make sense of the letters and words on the pages of the books we read with them. Shared reading is a classroom reading strategy that helps preschool and K children from diverse backgrounds focus on and begin to understand how all that print works, from individual letters (alphabet) to how words are organized on the page (print concepts). In shared reading, a teacher chooses a book that is well-suited for focusing on print, then guides the children to read along on parts they can remember or predict. In our session we will consider how we can choose books that really work for shared reading and how we might go about preparing to read them. The session facilitator will then demonstrate a shared reading, from which we will identify and analyze strategies that have an impact on children’s learning about print concepts and letters. Participants should leave with tools for doing their own shared readings in their classrooms or facilitating other teachers use of the strategy. This session utilizes Tier 1 evidence-based instructional strategies for the Components of Word Recognition and Fluency as described in the 2024 Illinois Comprehensive Literacy Plan.
Note: This session pairs well with “The Power of Shared Writing" on March 3, 2025. Registration link- https://cvent.me/nMWVmE
Gateways Topic: Early Literacy
Gateways Content Areas: (D) Curriculum or Program Design
Gateways CDA Content Area: (8) Child Development