Carmen S. Concepcion
Jennifer Escandell
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Introductions
Great Expectations
Objectives
Explicit Instruction
Think Alouds - Research
Think Alouds in Action - Demonstrations
Think Alouds in Action - Application
Closing Activity
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Work with your elbow partners to review
the agenda and discuss your
expectations for this session.
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Share your expectations.
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Review what we have accomplished
throughout the session.
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Check-off the topics we have
addressed, and note the areas for which
more training may be needed.
Provide participants with a flexible technique
for giving the right kind of help to their students,
assistance that will help their students become
confident, motivated, and engaged readers.
…the most powerful thing we can teach is
strategic knowledge, a knowledge of the
procedures people use to learn, to think, to
read, and to write.
Dr. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Improving Comprehension with Think-Aloud Strategies, 2001, p. 7
Components of Reading Test
Performance
15%
Reading ability
10%
40%
Content
knowledge
Motivation
Format
15%
Error
20%
Components of Reading Test
Preparation
10%
10%
40%
20%
20%
Guided instruction
Engaged reading
Strategies
Motivation
Format
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Zone of Actual Development - Independence
This zone is defined by what the child can do
on her own without any kind of assistance.
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Zone of Proximal Development – Instruction
In this zone, students can do with help what
they cannot do alone.
Dr. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Improving Comprehension with Think-Aloud Strategies, 2001, p. 10
The Steps of Passing Strategic Expertise to Students
Teacher Does/Students Watch
Step 1: Modeling of Strategy
Teacher Does/Student Helps
Step 2: Apprenticeship of Use
Students Do/Teacher Helps
Step 3: Scaffolding Strategy Use
Students Do/Teacher Watches
Step 4: Independent Use
A think-aloud of reading is creating a record, either
through writing or talking aloud, of the Strategic
decision-making and interpretive processes of going
through a text, reporting everything the reader is aware
of noticing, doing, seeing, feeling, asking, and
understanding as she reads. A think-aloud involves
talking about the reading strategies you are using and
the content of the piece you are reading.
Dr. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Improving Comprehension with Think-Aloud Strategies, 2001, p. 19
Active engagement in the text increases
comprehension. The think aloud strategy is used to
show how good readers comprehend the text that
they read. During a think aloud, students practice how
to:
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Make and revise predictions.
Determine the meanings of unknown words.
Use prior knowledge to make sense of the
story.
Visualize (e.g., settings, events, characters).
Assume the role of a character.
Reread and use fix-up strategies.
Think, “What is this writer trying to tell me?”
Summarize sections of the text.
FCAT Connection:
Teacher
models
thinking
aloud
Students
thinking
aloud with
teacher
prompting
(interactive)
Students
thinking aloud
independently
 Readers
must be selective and have
a purpose.
 Skim selection first.
 Reread each paragraph and
underline.
 Underline selectively, not entire
sentences.
 Choose key words and phrases.
 Justify with a partner.
I Have, You Have
In your group, match the
definitions to the strategies used
by proficient readers.
Share with the whole group.
Before Reading
After Reading
During Reading
If we give our developing readers
the right kinds of help then they can
and will learn to be better readers.
Dr. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Improving Comprehension with Think-Aloud Strategies, 2001, p. 15
T
H
I
N
K
A
L
O
U
D
Please note that you leave this session with:
› Good notes to use for think-alouds
› Think Aloud bookmarks
› Other print and online resources in your
handouts
Thank you for coming!
Please fill out the evaluation form.
Reflection: 3-2-1
List three big ideas from today’s in-service.
List two ways you plan to share this
information with your teachers that will
impact instruction and student learning.
List one question you still have.
Resources
Florida Online Reading Professional Development
http://www.forpd.ucf.edu
Beers, K. (2003). When Kids Can’t Read What Teachers Can Do. Portsmouth, NH:
Heinemen.
Blachowics, C, & Ogle, D. (2001). Reading Comprehension: Strategies for
Independent Learners. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.
Caroselli, M. (1998). Great Session Openers, Closers & Energizers. New York:
MacGraw-Hill.
Farstrup, A. E., & Samuels S. J. (2002). What Research Has to Say About Reading
Instruction. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
Harvey, S. & Goudvis, A. (2007). Strategies that work: Teaching comprehension
for understanding and engagement. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.
Tierney, R. J., & Readence, J. E. (2000). Reading strategies and practices: A
compedium. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
Wilhelm, J. D. (2001). Improving comprehension with think-aloud strategies.
New York, NY: Scholastic.
Contact Information
Carmen Concepcion
cconcepc@mail.ucf.edu
Jennifer Escandell
jescande@mail.ucf.edu