We've been thinking about tips and tricks that make a good read-aloud. Here is a blog post with several strategies for making your read-aloud time more interactive - Creating an Interactive Read-Aloud What tips or strategies would you add?
Here are some of our community members' favorite interactive books and additional tips!
Sheila Dandeneau - One of my favorite interactive read-aloud books is Eric Carle's From Head to Toe. The children love doing the movements like the animals and repeating, "I can do it!" Just be sure to give them plenty of room to kick like the donkey!
Christina Roseli - Any book can be interactive! If a story has the word "UP" then move the book up in the air and have the children follow your lead. If there is an animal, ask the children what sound they make. Movement and noise engage even the most uninterested toddler.Practice Dialogic reading. Be okay with children interrupting the story to ask questions - this shows they are listening, tracking and are interested in the storyline. Finally, if the group doesn't seem interested in the book then end it! There is no rule saying you have to finish - paraphrase the page you are on, make up and ending and move on.
Susan Waldman - Make predictions based on the title, reflect and connect to real-life experiences, label pictures & embellish with additional vocabulary, re-read favorite stories, and pause to allow the children to fill in familiar lines.
Ann Dillenbeck - Thank you for this blog post. Read-alouds are a great, initial way for educators to see CLASS is action. I would add strategies related to Regard for Student Perspectives. An educator might prepare questions and additional information for 2 or 3 books. Children could then choose which book they would like to hear, by voting when they sign in (put their picture beside a picture of the book they choose) or by rotating through the librarian job, which includes choosing a read aloud. A child might take responsibility by letting the other children know that a read aloud is next in the schedule and/or by signaling the transition to the read aloud (ring a triangle, circulate with a card that says how many more minutes until the read aloud, gain the group's attention with a signal, such as "freeze and squeeze (self hug)." A child might help lead the lesson by holding the book and/or turning the pages, showing the cover and asking the others what they think the book will be about, or offering a summary at the end. An educator might allow movement by giving the children choice about how to sit, and allowing them to lie down if they prefer. The instructional Support strategies also reinforce Regard for Student Perspectives by inviting the children to share their ideas and explain their thinking.
(Original post)