Interactive Think Aloud
In Interactive Think Aloud (Lapp, Fisher, & Grant, 2008), the teacher literally thinks aloud, modeling how to monitor her own comprehension.
According to page 77 of Dr. Mimi Miller and Nancy Veatch in their 2011 book entitled Literacy in Context (LinC): Choosing Instructional Strategies to Teach Reading in Content Areas for Students Grades 5-12, "The goal is for students to watch the proficient reader model this strategy, then practice while the teacher guides them, until students eventually gain control over their own comprehension." When they are ready, they will be able to engage in self-monitoring as they independently attempt to understand challenging text. The Interactive Think Aloud occurs while the teachers or students (chorally) read and stop as necessary to think aloud. Common Core Standard
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.2 Confirm understanding of a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media by asking and answering questions about key details and requesting clarification if something is not understood. |
Video Examples
In this lesson the teacher demonstrates the strategy by performing a think aloud about what students should be thinking about before, during, and after reading the text.
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Lesson in which the teacher models a think aloud about the Gettysburg address.
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Miller and Veatch's 2011 Guide to:
Interactive Think alouds
1. Choose text that is at the appropriate instructional level and meets the content area need.
2. Before teaching, carefully read the text, thinking about one’s own reading processes, noting the text structure, unfamiliar vocabulary, text features, and concepts that are essential to comprehending the text.
3. The teacher should begin by introducing the text and using either an activating or building background knowledge strategy.
4. All students should have a copy of the text that is being used, preferably one where they can highlight/underline and make notes.
5. The teacher begins by thinking aloud while reading.
a. Model how to address the text structure, unfamiliar vocabulary, text features, and new concepts.
b. Model how to note comments within the body of the text. Highlight or underline certain concepts and write margin notes where thoughts have been shared.
c. With time and practice, encourage students to share their thoughts aloud. (In many classrooms, this interactive time is one of open discourse;
the students are free to share aloud without raising their hands, as long as they are mindful of taking turns appropriately as the discussion
progresses.)
6. As students become more proficient in thinking aloud, they work in pairs or small groups with the teacher monitoring comprehension.
2. Before teaching, carefully read the text, thinking about one’s own reading processes, noting the text structure, unfamiliar vocabulary, text features, and concepts that are essential to comprehending the text.
3. The teacher should begin by introducing the text and using either an activating or building background knowledge strategy.
4. All students should have a copy of the text that is being used, preferably one where they can highlight/underline and make notes.
5. The teacher begins by thinking aloud while reading.
a. Model how to address the text structure, unfamiliar vocabulary, text features, and new concepts.
b. Model how to note comments within the body of the text. Highlight or underline certain concepts and write margin notes where thoughts have been shared.
c. With time and practice, encourage students to share their thoughts aloud. (In many classrooms, this interactive time is one of open discourse;
the students are free to share aloud without raising their hands, as long as they are mindful of taking turns appropriately as the discussion
progresses.)
6. As students become more proficient in thinking aloud, they work in pairs or small groups with the teacher monitoring comprehension.
Examples
Resources
Balance Literacy Diet, The. (2011). Think alouds: modeling ways to think about text (virtual tour). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0ZHimY5YZo
CitizensAcademyCleve. (2011). Think aloud. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oi7RfnlkTL4
Lapp, D., Fisher, D., & Grant, M. (2008). You can read this text—I’ll show you how: Interactive comprehension instruction. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 51 (5), 372–383.
Miller, M., & Veatch, N. (2011). Literacy in context (LinC): Choosing instructional strategies to teach reading in content areas for students grades 5-12. Boston: Pearson.
Reading Rockets. (2015). Read aloud to build comprehension. Retrieved from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/reading-aloud-build-comprehension
Balance Literacy Diet, The. (2011). Think alouds: modeling ways to think about text (virtual tour). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0ZHimY5YZo
CitizensAcademyCleve. (2011). Think aloud. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oi7RfnlkTL4
Lapp, D., Fisher, D., & Grant, M. (2008). You can read this text—I’ll show you how: Interactive comprehension instruction. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 51 (5), 372–383.
Miller, M., & Veatch, N. (2011). Literacy in context (LinC): Choosing instructional strategies to teach reading in content areas for students grades 5-12. Boston: Pearson.
Reading Rockets. (2015). Read aloud to build comprehension. Retrieved from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/reading-aloud-build-comprehension