Choral reading with follow-up

Small or large group of students reading aloud together multiple times, with in-between discussion of the decoding, expression, and pacing.

Choral reading text summary

Students in small groups prepare a summary of the text they are reading and then perform a choral reading of their summary.

Close reading with guided oral reading

A highly recommended strategy.

One student reads aloud, and the teacher or another student listens. The student receives feedback on decoding, expression, and pacing. Next, the teacher and student read aloud together. The student then reads the same passage aloud. This can occur with multiple repetitions.

Discussion on interpretation, followed by choral reading

Students discuss the tone and expression of a text, considering the author’s or character’s intention, and then practice and perform a choral reading with appropriate pace and expression.

Dramatic oral reading of a poem

Following discussion of pacing and expression, students read aloud a poem (or other text).

Partner reading with discussion

Similar to guided oral reading, but with another student providing feedback and practice. Following the oral readings, students discuss a set of questions generated by the teacher or other students.

Plays and skits

Students discuss the characters in a poem and consider how the text can be expressed and with what pacing that would be appropriate for the character’s personality, intentions, and emotion. Then the students take roles in the skit to read aloud. The same skit should be read more than once, with discussion and feedback between each reading.

Randomized small-group choral reading

Students in pairs or small groups chorally read aloud a section of the text. The teacher (or other students) select the next pair to read aloud. This is similar to “round-robin” style reading, but students do not know which section they will be called upon to read and they will read aloud together. Student pairs should practice the entire selection first.

Recorded choral reading

Students record their choral reading, review the recording, discuss modifications, and then do it again.

Team echo reading with discussion

Pairs (or small groups) of students work in “teams.” Team one reads aloud, and then the team two reads aloud the same section. Team two continues on to the next section, followed by team one echoing the selection.

Whole class echo reading with varied interpretations and discussion

The teacher reads aloud, demonstrating correct fluency, and the class repeats aloud, trying to mimic the teacher’s pacing and expression.