Routine · Vocabulary
Word talk during a read-aloud
Pause briefly on rich words while reading aloud, then come back to them after the story.
- Time
- 5 to 10 minutes
- Skill
- Vocabulary
- In a session plan
- Library only
When to use it
With any read-aloud book above the student's reading level, to grow spoken vocabulary.
Materials
- A picture book
- Two or three chosen words on sticky notes
Steps
Get ready
Before reading, mark the pages with the chosen words.
I do
When you reach a word, stop and give a quick, friendly meaning, then keep reading.
We do
After the story, go back to each word. Reread its sentence and talk about what it means there.
You do
Ask questions that make the student use each word: has something ever made you feel that way? When might you do that?
Student: Answers using the new words.
Check
Over the next few days, use the words in conversation and see if the student does too.
If the student...
Cannot connect the word to anything familiar.
Give a very simple example from the student's day, act it out if you can, and ask the question again.
Tips
- Keep pauses during the story short so the story stays alive. The real talk comes after.
- Post the words where you will see them and praise any use of them.
Original routines written by Literacy Trail. In the app, every routine is filled with your student's lesson.
Related routines
- Teach a word: friendly meaning, examples, non-examplesExplain a new word in everyday language, show it in use, and test it against examples and non-examples.3 to 6 minutes · Library only
- Picture-book read-aloud with promptsRead a picture book aloud, stopping at planned points for open questions that get the student thinking and talking.10 to 15 minutes · Library only
- Word mapFill a simple map for a word: its meaning, a sentence, a picture, and words like it and unlike it.6 to 10 minutes · Library only
- Meanings of prefixes and suffixesTeach what a common prefix or suffix means, then use it to work out the meaning of new words.5 to 8 minutes · Library only
Have this routine filled in for every lesson
In Literacy Trail, the session plan picks a routine for each block and fills it with the words, sounds and sentence from your student's lesson. Every plan starts with a 15-day free trial.