Teaching Strategies

Teaching Strategy: Choral Reading: A Word A Child

In their 4^th edition of Reading and Learning to Read (2001), Vacca, Vacca, and Gove describe the importance of choral reading in the development of oral reading fluency. Four ways the authors suggest to utilize choral reading in the classroom are:

1. refrain
2. line-a-child
3. dialogue
4. unison

And as the author points out in our text, poetry is a fine tool for choral reading opportunities.

The following is a variation on Vacca, Vacca, and Gove's suggestions, with an acknowledgment of Teaching Reading's poetry component.

Word-A-Child

In the above-mentioned line-a-child, students share the reading of a poem by each being responsible for one line of the poem. Patricia Rieman took this idea and modified it from a line per child to just a word per child. Two poems that are very appropriate for this activity are by Shel Silverstein:

Early Bird, and Ridiculous Rose are both relatively short, funny, and memorable poems.

• First, have the targeted poem highly visible on an overhead, chart paper, or poster.
• Second, read the poem aloud to the children.
• Third, have the children read the poem aloud with you.
• Fourth, explain to the students that you are going to have some fun together by reading the poem in a new way, and that each child will only have to say one word. Say the poem slowly, and as you say each word, point to the child who will be responsible for that word. Emphasize to the children what a difference their expressiveness will make in how the poem sounds.
• Take one or two trial runs, and be sure to cheerfully chuckle right along with the students if they fumble to say their words in time. Remind them this is a team effort, and fun is key. When you are ready for the "real reading," reiterate to students the importance of expression.

**Consider tape-recording the first and last readings so that students can hear the difference.