Vocabulary and
Comprehension:
Read Alouds and Story
Structure
Oregon Reading First
Regional Coaches’ Training
December 2007
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Research Related to
Strengthening Instruction in
Reading Comprehension
Edited from the work of Joseph K. Torgesen
Florida State University and the National Center for
Reading First Technical Assistance
Comprehension Conference, Spring, 2007
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Background for an Extended Research Example:
If young children are introduced to many word
meanings briefly in K-2, can they use this initial
knowledge to further build word knowledge
through reading?
The concept of “fast mapping” (Cary, 1978)
Direct, brief explanation of meaning can establish
initial “fast mapping” of meaning.
As initially mapped words are encountered in
other contexts, their meaning is extended and
deepened.
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Background for an Extended Research Example:
Biemiller, A. & Boote, C. (2006). Journal of Educational Psychology,
98, 44-62
Learning vocabulary while listening to stories
read by the teacher:
If word meanings are explained within the context of
a single story reading, 15% of words are learned.
If word meanings are explained within the context of a
story that is read repeatedly, 26% of words are learned.
If stories are read repeatedly, but word meanings are
not explained, a 9% gain in word recognition is found.
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Parts of today’s presentation is
based on an earlier presentation
by:
Anita L. Archer, Ph.D.
archerteach@aol.com
503-295-7749
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Read Alouds
We can enhance children’s language,
vocabulary, comprehension, and cognitive
development through the process of a
teacher reading text aloud to students in
small and large groups. We can give
students access to rich vocabulary and
concepts that they would not be able to
access independently.
Read Alouds:
Increasing Effectiveness
Let’s watch a video model!
Note effective instructional strategies.
Read Aloud: Wolf!
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Read Aloud: The Why



Enhance language abilities
Increase vocabulary
Enhance comprehension abilities
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Read Aloud: The Why

Gives students exposure to rich
vocabulary


Provide students with a model of
effective reading strategies
Models for students how to think about
text in their journey towards becoming
fluent and independent readers
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Read Aloud: The What
Teacher reading a text
in front of students in
small and large
groups.
+ Strategically chosen text
+ Well-prepared teacher talk
+ Strategic opportunities for
students to interact with
each other, the teacher, and
the text
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High Quality Literature
Selections should (when possible):
• reflect students’ cultures.
• reflect students’ interests.
• be above the independent reading
level of students.
•
have ample rich vocabulary.
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Highlight on Active
Engagement
Increase the effectiveness of
reading aloud by:


Giving students opportunities to reflect
Asking questions that require more than
an easily retrieved answer
Think, Pair, Share During the
Read Aloud!
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Parts of the Read Aloud
1)
2)
3)
4)
Background Knowledge
Pre-teach Vocabulary & Key Concepts
Fast Mapping
Check for Understanding
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Role of Background
Knowledge
Overall Goal:
 Integrate it with text content in order to
assist comprehension. (Beck & McKeown, 2001)
 Avoid student attempts to introduce
irrelevant or tangential background
knowledge.
 Does the background knowledge assist to
establish major story concepts?
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Teach the Meaning of Critical,
Unknown Vocabulary Words
BIG IDEA: If students
understand the meaning of critical
vocabulary in the passage, their
comprehension will be enhanced.
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Fast Mapping
Direct, brief explanation of meaning can
establish initial “fast mapping” of meaning.
Substitute critical unknown vocabulary with
a student friendly synonym or brief phrase.
As initially mapped words are encountered in
other contexts, their meaning is extended
and deepened.
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Fast-Mapping
Example: “The Crow and the Pitcher”
The text reads, “Suddenly, the crow spied a pitcher
sitting on a picnic table.”
• What is a student-friendly synonym or phrase for
spied?
The text reads, “To the crow’s dismay, his beak could
not reach the water at the bottom of the pitcher.”
• What’s a student-friendly synonym or phrase for
dismay?
Find another word that can be fast-mapped. What is a
student-friendly synonym or phrase for that word?
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Check for Student
Understanding



1)
2)
Think, Pair, Share
Choral Responses
Signaling
Purpose of Active Engagement:
Teachers - Monitor student understanding
Students - Practice thinking and talking
about text
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Read Aloud
Video Model: Honk!
Get out your “Best Practices” sheet.
1)
2)
3)
Write down the active engagement
strategies you observe.
Which words are fast-mapped?
What other good practices did you
observe?
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Read Aloud: Honk!
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ELL Students and
Reading Aloud
Beneficial to ELL Students:
 Aids in development of social and
academic language
 Increases vocabulary
 Teaches students to determine between
important and unimportant points about
the text
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ELL Students and
Reading Aloud
Especially important instructional strategies for
ELL students during Read Aloud:
Use of background knowledge will
support comprehension and vocabulary
retention
 Use of words students are already familiar
with to define new words (fast-mapping &
pre-teaching critical vocabulary)

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Your Turn!


Take out your teacher’s manual. Let’s
look at what your Core TE already has
prepared for you.
Step 1: Find where or if your Core TE
directs you to develop background
knowledge.

Does the suggested activity meet the needs of
your students? Why or why not?
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Your Turn!

Step 2: Find the vocabulary word list to
teach in conjunction with this story. Check
your lesson map for the list.


Which words are the most and least important
for your students?
What do you notice about the provided
student-friendly definitions?
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Your Turn!

Step 3: Quickly peruse the story.
Which words would be helpful to fastmap?
 Are these words from the Core
provided vocabulary list or not?

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Your Turn!

Step 4: Find where the Core TE
directs you to engage the students
in understanding the story.
Which active engagement strategies
are suggested by the Core TE?
 What could you do to increase
student practice and opportunities to
check for understanding?

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Story Structure:
The Crow and the Pitcher
Day 1: Model story structure using a
large graphic organizer.
Day 2: Guided practice of story
structure with students filling out
graphic organizer with the teacher.
Day 3: Students fill out graphic
organizer with a partner.
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“Reading
comprehension is
thinking guided
by print.”
(Perfetti, 1995).
Thank you!
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