Shared Reading, Shared Writing are they not fashionable anymore?

My mantra (motivating chant) has always been, “All new literacy learning happens within continuous print, all new literacy learning happens within continuous print” therefore the biggest surprise, since continuing my role as a consultant in schools (2017), has been that teachers are not using BIG print (whole class can view) to show how words work, to demonstrate how sentence structures allow meaning to develop. Children are not exposed to all those wonderful ideas in Big print nor are they instructed in what comprehension strategies to put in place to make meaning of an author’s ideas.

Modelled reading, listening to a parent/carer reading story books, is part of a child’s early reading. The music of language and the drama of ideas are infused in picture books and are forwarded through expressive reading and the asking of questions, commenting and the giving of explanations at appropriate times. The child enters an inventive world beyond their daily experiences. Adult readers introduce language and ideas that children could not read alone and  may not be able to comprehend alone.

When children begin school their experiences of similar-type readings continue. Schools are fortunate to have Big books, which are written and illustrated by excellent authors and artists. Big books for early readers contain interesting language, alliteration, rhyming, speech-like language, onomatopoeia (sounds of animals) and visual representation of the ideas that children can relate to. Because the stories are so stimulating, children want repeat readings of the narrative, poem, prose or information.

As children become more experienced readers (and writers), Shared or modelled Reading does not stop. Instead readers are exposed to more complicated texts – language structures are not always the speech-like language they have been used to as a young reader. Sentence structures change from the personal, “I like to play football’ to more abstract, nominalised forms (see BLOG February, 2016), ‘Football is the favourite sport of many Australians’. With the change to more unknown vocabulary (consider historical and scientific language as examples) and the making of varied sentence structures (from simple to compound, to complex as examples), teachers, before children independently read (or write) deconstruct big print texts, either Big Book form or pieces shown on Interactive White Board to show children how meaning is made).

There is so much learning that happens during direct instruction, Shared Book reading. Readers become aware of significant words that convey important ideas and concepts. They experience wide vocabulary and become aware of context clues associated with vocabulary and grammar, relationships and events; this knowledge allows children when reading independently, to anticipate what will come next in a story (or information).

The wonder of having Big Books as models during Shared Reading is that teachers’ questioning can be directed to individual children’s learning requirements as well as focusing on class learning. For example, a child in the class whose understanding needs to be improved would respond to the teacher’s question, ‘Johnny, what do you visualize and infer when I read, ‘The man reading the paper…’ The class learning focus, for example, the relevance of word parts and how they ascertain meaning can be highlighted initially by the teacher isolating certain words for examination, followed by the class forming discussion groups (Think, Pair, Share) where they discuss the different meanings, the root word and the addition of affixes. Not only are you promoting active engagement by all children, you are differentiating learning in this whole class scenario.

For the class, the teachers’ first reading of Big print is the listening of the story and viewing the visuals. The next day’s reading of the same book could be exploring the language, for example, isolating the phrase, clause and sub-clause. The next day phrases and clauses are moved around. The fourth day question phrases are examined, “What time is it?” and the answer reveals two clauses, “The time is 10 o’clock, it is time for a snack.” The fifth day a circle activity has the children reading cards and classifying phrases, clauses and subclauses

As Marie Clay in ‘Talking, reading and writing’ (article in the Journal of Reading Recovery, Spring, 2004 V.3 no 2), advocates, …teachers anticipate unfamiliar usage for readers (and writers) that may inhibit their independancy.  Teachers begin with showing models, deconstructing models and connect the new learning to familiar contexts – talking reading and writing.  Learning new language begins with a model begin shown, [then moves to] re reading experimenting in different context (e.g. writing or activity).

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Shared writing is a scaffolding approach specifically directed at showing how writing happens. As a teacher in the classroom, I would share write, for example, a whole story or a report. The children would share their ideas and I would write them on a large sheet of paper. Some children would take my pen and write their thoughts on the model. Every day, we would reread the story or report already written and add to it. Note, that I would accept children’s ideas to a point. If they needed to be reworded I would do so, “Think about making that sentence clearer. Would it be better to write…?”

I have learnt, as a consultant, that in the higher grades, adaptations are made to the share writing process. Teachers tend to share write parts of a text, parts that allow children to learn a concept before they independently write. For example, if the aim is for children to write a knowledgeable exposition, shared writing of varied important aspects happens.  You could begin with modelling varied exposition introductions. The teacher may write how auxiliary/modal verbs could, might are part of exposition writing. Rather than listing verbs, show specific examples, sensing verbs, think, believe, saying verbs, persuade, argue are part of exposition writing. During shared writing, phrases/connectives, in addition, another reason, in conclusion, ‘there are reasons why…’ and adverbs, I strongly agree and adjectives, this is the worst outcome, a better outcome would be …  are modelled.

As with Shared Reading, shared writing is not a one-off session, concepts and language are reinforced for a week, at least. And like Shared Reading, you keep to the focus but examples are varied each day and practised during independent activities.

    What I see as the way effective way literacy learning happens Liz Simon 2017

Scaffolding/explicit teaching components and shifting responsibility to the student

This pedagogy is predicated on Lev Vygotsky’s (1978) notions that children are taught by a more knowledgeable other; support is given during the learning process and the zone of proximal development is where new learning begins. Constituent phases of developmental learning (scaffolding) is developed by Pearson, PD & Gallagher, MC.1983. Instruction of Reading Comprehension. Contemporary Education Psychology 8: 317-344,

Teacher provides maximum support SCAFFOLDING Focussed, in-context instruction (generally continuous print) given when new concepts and skills are first introduced. (Generally whole class) Shared Reading – (big print, Interactive W.B.) reading for enjoyment, comprehension, developing ideas. New learning such as decoding concepts of print, letters, punctuation, words, functional grammar, genre constructions, accompanying language. Part of decoding is learning strategies to problem solve. Modelling – deconstructing. Yrs R-7 Read Aloud – comprehension. Yrs Rec – 7. Approx. 20 mins

Guidance Subsequent - constructivist approach, learning is active; new knowledge built on learner’s existing knowledge – specific concepts, skills practised, building competency. (Groups, individual) Guided Reading – instructional, making connections, prior knowledge, strategies - levels Independent activities/tasks, participate and practise concepts learned in Shared reading and writing, skill practised using a range of modes, revisiting of specific concepts, Yrs R-7. Research skills, Information process, study skills are practised – Yrs 3-7 Interacting with teacher and peers e.g. conferencing, discussion groups, blogs, using reliable ICT sites, Yrs 2-7

Independent Moving to independence, analytical phase, problem solving, creating. (Groups or single) Independent Reading – pleasure, Yrs R-7 Research / assignments - Yrs 3-7 Independent Writing for various purposes, audiences Independent Research – presentations Yrs 3-7 Reciprocal teaching – non-fiction. Yrs 3-7 Book Clubs – fiction. Yrs 3-7

Shared Writing – joint construction of texts (all elements that are part of Shared Reading). In this learning scenario, encoding happens. Yrs R-7 Interactive writing – for Rec, delayed learners, disabilities. Small books are made from class writing and become part of child’s reading. Read Aloud – comprehension, appreciation. Yrs Rec - 7 ‘Hooking’ stimulating entry into new learning topic or Inquiry (e.g. multi-media, excursion). Yrs Rec-7 Demonstrating research skills – e.g. headings, key words Yrs 3-7 Information process – define, locate, select, analyse, transform, organize, synthesize, presentation, evaluation (Liz Simon, Bringing Critical Thinking Alive, 2010, Hawker Brownlow) Yrs 3-7 Study skill development – scanning, skim reading, note taking, summarizing, annotating (Liz Simon, Brining Critical Thinking Alive, 2010, Hawker Brownlow) Yrs 3-7 Presentation construction, language. Yrs 2-7 Emphasis: learning strategies, for problem solving, for making meaning

Emphasis: using prior knowledge, strategies, for problem solving, for making meaning