Shared 1 Book- Reading Research

and Content Learning

The Purpose of this Chapter

The purpose of this chapter is to establish the importance of interactive shared book reading as a tool for developing preschool children’s oral language and comprehension abilities. We will summarize effective book-reading practices from the last 25 years of research and the role of shared book reading in language development and content learning. This approach was implemented with children from high-poverty settings in Project Words of Oral Reading and Language Development (WORLD).

Key Ideas
The key ideas discussed in this chapter are as follows:

1. Gaps in children’s language and world knowledge begin early and are evident in preschool.
2. Teachers can read and talk about books with children in ways that boost children’s oral language abilities and conceptual knowledge.
3. Shared book reading is more effective when an adult listens to oral responses in book conversations and extends children’s language and learning through a discussion with feedback and confirmation.
4. Building networks of knowledge and connected vocabulary establishes a foundation for future academic learning and text comprehension.

Shared book reading is a process of talking about books that occurs between an adult and a child or children when reading or looking at books (What Works Clearinghouse [WWC], 2006). Also known as read-alouds, book sharing, and storybook reading, it is the primary instructional approach to promote young children’s vocabulary acquisition (Ezell & Justice, 2005; Hargrave & Sénéchal, 2000; Whitehurst & Lonigan, 1998), and it is a method that lends itself to the development of content-related vocabulary and knowledge (e.g., science, social studies; Gonzalez, Pollard-Durodola, Taylor, Simmons, Davis, & Simmons, 2011; Neuman & Dwyer, 2011; Pollard-Durodola et al., 2011).

Instructional Science Vignette: What Can Water Do?

Discussion Before Reading Amazing Water

Ms. Thomas: This week, we’re going to read books that teach us about nature. Nature consists of things that are not made by people, such as water, air, and sunlight. Let’s name and talk about the parts of nature that you see in these pictures.
Children identify and talk about the sun, icicles, snow-covered trees, and swirling water.
In our new book, we’ll listen for three new words. These new words will help us learn about water and what water can do. Let’s practice them before reading the book.

Teaching Strategy: Use a visual to depict a vocabulary concept.

She holds an 8 ½ × 11 picture/concept card of a glass filled with water.
Ms. Thomas: Look at this picture. Our first new word is liquid. A liquid is something such as water or juice. In this picture, water is a liquid. It is wet. What is this, everyone?
Children: Liquid!
Ms. Thomas: Let’s point to the liquid in this picture. [Everyone points.]

Teaching Strategy: Extend children’s conceptual knowledge.

Ms. Thomas: Besides water, there are many other types of liquids. There is liquid paint, soup, and detergent for washing our clothes. And look at this liquid glue. Benjamin, I see that you want to say something! What is your favorite liquid and why?
Child: Juice.
Ms. Thomas: I like juice, too. Say, “My favorite liquid is juice.”
Child: My favorite liquid is juice.
Ms. Thomas: Okay, why do you like juice?
Child: It’s cold and sweet.
Ms. Thomas: That’s a good explanation. You like juice because it is cold and sweet! Can you think of a liquid that we use to soften our skin? What type of liquid is in this bottle?
Child: That’s lotion.
Ms. Thomas: Yes, the liquid in this bottle is lotion.

Teaching Strategy: Use a visual to depict a vocabulary concept.

She points to a picture/concept card of icicles on a tree.
Here’s our second new word. Look at this picture. Did you know this is frozen water? Everyone say, “It’s frozen water.”
Children repeat.

If something is frozen, it is hard and cold. Ice is something that is frozen, or hard and cold. In this picture, the water on the branch is frozen, or cold and hard.
Everyone, what is this?
Children: Frozen.
Ms. Thomas: What are some things you know that are frozen?
Child: Popsicles!
Ms. Thomas: Yes, Popsicles are frozen. Let’s say that together: Popsicles are frozen.
Children repeat.
Ms. Thomas: What are some other examples of frozen water?
Child: The lake in the park.
Ms. Thomas: Yes, the lake in the park is frozen this morning.
Child: Water frozen on the sidewalk.
Ms. Thomas: Yes, there is frozen water on the sidewalk. What do we call frozen water?
There is a discussion about the ice on the sidewalk.
Ms. Thomas: We have one more new word to learn that we will listen for in our book.

Teaching Strategy: Use a visual to depict a vocabulary concept.

She holds a picture/concept card showing a brick wall.
Ms. Thomas: This is a solid. A solid is something hard, such as wood or rocks. In this picture, the bricks are solid. They are hard. What is this, everyone?
Children: Solid.
Ms. Thomas: When water is frozen, it is a solid, so it feels hard. Besides frozen water, there are many other examples of solid objects. What do you see in this room that is a solid?
Silence.
The silence indicates that some children may need clarification or further explanation to understand the concept of solid.
Child: Rocks.
Ms. Thomas: Yes, the rocks on the science table are solid.

Teaching Strategy: Scaffold with an explanation.

Excerpted from Accelerating Language Skills and Content Knowledge Through Shared Book Reading by Sharolyn Pollard-Durodola, Ed.D.; Jorge Gonzalez, Ph.D.; Deborah C. Simmons, Ph.D.; & Leslie Simmons, M.Ed.
Brookes Publishing | www.brookespublishing.com | 1-800-638-3775 © 2015 | All rights reserved

Project Words of Oral Reading and Language Development

In Project WORLD, preschool teachers like Ms. Thomas moved beyond teaching content vocabulary words in isolation and learned to be responsive to opportunities to build networks of knowledge that can accelerate both vocabulary and content learning. By infusing content vocabulary instruction within the context of daily shared book-reading lessons, teachers progressively developed networks of words and concepts with preschool children from high-poverty backgrounds. The purpose of Project WORLD was to design and evaluate an early curricular intervention that accelerates the oral language abilities and conceptual knowledge of children at risk for underachievement and comprehension difficulties due to limited life experiences and socioeconomic resources.