Shared Reading (Blown-up Book)

The teacher reads a large-format book to the whole class, interacting with learners about the story, characters, and predictions throughout the reading.

Procedure

1. Choose a big book or create an enlarged photocopy of a graded reader. The book should be short enough to finish in one or two sessions.
2. Sit in front of the class holding the book so all can see it.
3. Tell the learners the title and ask what they think it might be about. Discuss briefly.
4. Begin reading the story aloud to the class.
5. Pause regularly to engage learners: ask what will happen next, what they think of the characters, or clarify vocabulary.
6. Read the story to the end, interacting with learners throughout.
7. On another day, read the same book again if learners wish. Have regular-sized copies available so learners can read independently later.

Tips

• This technique copies the activity of a parent reading to a child, adapted for whole-class use.
• Also called interactive reading.
• The major focus is on listening, but the goal includes getting learners interested in reading.
• Best suited to young learners or elementary-level foreign language learners.
• Enlarged photocopies of graded readers work well when published big books are too difficult for the learners' level.