Read Aloud to Boost Comprehension

Read Aloud to Boost Comprehension

Author: Shannon Betts and Mary Saghafi December 8, 2023 Duration: 54:43

Mary and Shannon chat with Dr. Molly Ness about her new book Read Alouds for All Learners.   Molly shares how teachers should intentionally plan their read alouds, with thought put into the vocabulary instruction, the purpose for reading, the think aloud process, and engagement and extension activities for students after reading. Listen to this episode for TONS of ideas from our guest about how to get the most learning out of your read aloud experiences.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES AND ONES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE

  1. Reading Rockets:  Reading Aloud to Build Comprehension
  2. Reading Rockets:   Vocabulary Development During Read Alouds
  3. ASCD:   The Hidden Power of Read Alouds
  4. Scholastic:   5 Easy Skills to Teach Kids During Read-Alouds
  5. Read Write Think:    Teacher Read-Aloud that Models Reading for Deep Understanding
  6. Cox Campus:  Meaningful Read Alouds for Vocabulary and Oral Language Comprehension
  7. Read Alouds for All Learners:  A Comprehensive Plan for Every Subject, Every Day, Grades PreK-8 (Learn the step-by-step instructional plan for Read Alouds for All Learners) by Molly Ness * Amazon affiliate link
  8. Think Big with Think Alouds: A Three-Step Planning Process That Develops Strategic Readers by Molly Ness *Amazon affiliate link
  9. Love in the Library by Maggie Tokuda-Hall *Amazon affiliate link
  10. The William Hoy Story: How a Deaf Baseball Player Changed the Game by Nancy Churnin *Amazon affiliate link
  11. The Decline by Nine (Scholastic Reads Podcast)
  12. End Book Deserts (Podcast by Molly Ness)
  13. Website for Molly Ness
  14. Contact Molly on Twitter
  15. Contact Molly on IG

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In the Reading Teachers Lounge, hosts Shannon Betts and Mary Saghafi pull up a chair for a conversation that feels both deeply professional and warmly familiar. These two elementary reading teachers and Atlanta neighbors discovered a shared, fervent passion for literacy over a local dinner, realizing they were kindred spirits in their mission. That initial chat never really ended, and now it forms the heart of this podcast. Each episode invites you into their ongoing dialogue, where practical classroom strategies, reflections on what works, and thoughtful discussions about reaching every single learner are all on the table. It’s a space designed for fellow educators, dedicated parents, and anyone invested in how children learn to read, offering tangible ideas rather than abstract theory. The tone is collaborative and grounded in real classroom experiences, reflecting a joint belief that literacy is foundational. By tuning in, you gain access to their collective experience and earnest curiosity, all focused on the complex, rewarding world of teaching reading. This isn't about performance; it's about sharing a genuine professional conversation from their lounge to yours, making the Reading Teachers Lounge a unique podcast for those who live and breathe language education.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 129

Reading Teachers Lounge
Podcast Episodes
Students Need Systematic, Explicit Phonics - ILA says so! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:57
Mary discusses a brief that has been put out by the International Literacy Association that shares information about how phonics instruction must be systematic and explicit as part of an overall efficient, effective, and…
Back to School [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:16
This is the beginning of season 2! Shannon and Mary catch up about what they have been up to during the summer and how they're getting ready for the new school year.Resource Links:SMART Goals (lol)Fundations Phonics Prog…
Hands On Learning in the Summer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:40
Are you ready for summer? We can't wait to play with our kids! Mary and Shannon have compiled some resources for hands-on summer play to practice important reading skills outside of the classroom. Resource Links:NOTE: As…
Necessary Phonics Lessons [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:48
We share some of the unexpected phonics lessons that students need that aren't always obvious in the curriculum guides. These important and necessary phonics lessons are essential in phonics instruction.Resource Links:NO…
Facilitating Digital Learning [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:58
Shannon and Mary share how to facilitate digital assignments in the reading classroom. We go into detail about using Moby Max, Imagine Learning, and Boom Learning with students. Resource Links:Digital Assignments Sheet C…
Teacher Jargon Defined: Phoneme and Grapheme [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:42
Shannon and Mary review the terms phoneme and grapheme. They're important terms to understanding the connections between letters and sounds.Resource Links:NOTE: As an Amazon Associate program, we earn a small amount from…
Encoding First, Decoding Second [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:32
Shannon and Mary discuss a professional article, "Why Phonics Teaching Must Change" published in Educational Leadership, September, 2008 by Jeannine Herron. They talk about a different approach to teaching students to re…
Preschool Literacy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:42
Shannon and Mary talk about pre-reading skills and other school readiness skills that students need before going to Kindergarten. They interview Emily Howland, a pre-school educator about important early literacy skills…
Teacher Jargon Defined:  Executive Functioning [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:32
Executive Functioning is a term being thrown around a lot in schools today. We break down what this term means and why it's important for educators to understand it. We discuss the importance of teaching these essential…
Authentic Writing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:57
Reading and Writing go hand-in-hand. Hesitant readers tend to be hesitant writers. We ask students to do a lot of writing throughout the day. Shannon and Mary discuss the importance and elements of quality writing instru…