#NZreadaloud4

#NZreadaloud is a literacy initiative I started in Term 1 2015. 

There were a few purposes why I needed this. 

Firstly to flatten the walls of our classrooms and get our learners CONNECTING to other classes across Aotearoa so the kids can 'learn together'. 

For #NZreadaloud4 theONE6 has connected with classes from Mahana School, Oamaru Intermediate, Waikanae School, Wainuioru School, as well as 2 home-school boys in Wanaka. We are enjoying the conversations which have started in our Edmodo groups and on Twitter.

Another purpose was to find a new way to engage kids in reading. While independent reading is really important, being 'read to' is something which kids still need too. The most important part of this is to BRING THE BOOK ALIVE! No point reading aloud if you are not prepared to 'get into character' (this is the part I love!) Might take a risk and video myself one day!! 

Reading Aloud also offers us an opportunity to demonstrate and model 'how we make meaning from text' through us THINKING ALOUD. So during the read aloud I will ask/write questions, make predictions, take notes of key characters and their traits, note page numbers for language features, make connections, draw images and anything else which I think will be important for understanding. While I am doing this - the kids are doing this too... at the beginning I am happy they take the same notes as I do. Once they get the idea they always find their own technique!

Here are some photos of what my notes look like (thanks to Sophie for being my 'writer today) as well as some great examples of student note-taking...