Read to Someone and Listen to Reading in Daily 5

Read to Someone is the hardest choice for me to teach.  There are sooooo many steps!

*EEKK style seating goes fairly well in my room.  I allow them to sit in chairs as long as the chairs are very close together.

*I don’t spend enough time ensuring that they are checking in and doing a really good summary with each other.  A parent cut out checkmarks out of stiff felt for me, and those work really well.  My grade level team just saw a Daily 5 video where a prompt was written on the checkmark…I’ll have to watch the video again, but it was something along the line of, “I heard you read…”  My summary prompt is usually “Who did what and why?” so I might use that.

*Last year, I dropped the ball completely on teaching kids coaching skills.  I need to pick that up again this year.  I’ve used coaching or time bookmarks in the past, but seem to find them stashed in book bags or wadded up on the ground.

* I also want to spend more time teaching the response, “Sure, thank you!” or even just “Sure!” when kids are paired up.  I always have a difficult time here.  I think the choice of choosing their own partner is necessary.  But when one kid is the favorite, how do you decide who that kid goes with?  I tried whoever asks first, but it turned out a little like flashcards–you can’t really tell who asked first. Then I went with paper rock scissors, which seems very….awkward.  When kids are making their choice, I did a better job of keeping track of whether I had an odd number of kids want to read to someone or an even number.  If I was on an even number and the last kid wanted to do read to someone, I’d tell them the choice was closed.  Sometimes I’ll ask a student if they would mind choosing read to someone so that so and so can have a partner.  There are some kids, though, who generally elicit a groan when they are partnered up.  I  feel so bad for them!

I think I’m much more successful with Listen to Reading, despite tech difficulties.  In my area, there are soooo many kiddos whose parents just do not read to them.  I did a grant awhile back where I researched the importance of listening to reading, and know it is just so valuable, especially for our English Language Learners.  The kids feel like they’re getting out of work, and I’m happy that they’re being exposed to vocabulary and ideas that they may not have gotten.  Even with older kids, I would keep this choice, and use longer chapter books on cd.

*  I have 2 listening centers this year, each with 4 headphones.  One is on a coffee table and the other is on a tv cart, both with no chairs, and both from a thrift store.  I choose 4-5 books from my stash (and now our Title room has lots of titles) to stay out for the month.   About 3/4 of them are picture books, and the rest are easier chapter books.  I’ve gotten books with cds from Scholastic See Saw, Wendy’s promotions, Barnes and Noble, thrift stores, and iTunes.  If I have a recording, I’ll pick up a copy of the book online or at a thrift store to go with it.  I’ll also look for multiple copies of books. Our public library has some books with cds that I’ve used before, too. I’ve also recorded books on Garage Band to go with books I already have.  I’m planning on asking parents to record books this year…won’t that be fun for the kiddos!    The Common Core has an emphasis on kids recording themselves reading, so I’ve been mulling over having them record their own stories, as well.  I store my sets in Ziplock bags in baskets under the listening center table.

*  This year, I have 2 iPods.  I’m going to put the recordings of the stories in our text book on those–1 textbook for each–and use those as options.  These will be in baskets on a shelf with other accessible materials.

*  I have 2 computers that I train students to use my links page  (click on the May something date–never have gotten this to look better) to access books that are read aloud (scroll down until you see Stories to Watch Online.)  I also check out those Scholastic dvds of books from our public library, and show them on a portable dvd player with one set of headphones.  I have a small table where my computer sit.  It’s just big enough for the two computers to sit facing one direction with a little space between them.  I put the dvd player on the opposite side, facing the other direction.  I took the legs off the table, so the kids sit on the floor for all 3 of these.

*  I have a huge library of Leap Pad books, but have had TONS of issues with being able to play them on the machines.   I store the books in an old wooden toy box that has been renamed the window seat.  I take out about 5 books a month, put those in a basket with the Leap Pad and headphones, and keep the basket on a shelf with other accessible materials.

I’ve learned that for the first week at least, I don’t attempt to anything other than solve tech problems when implementing Listen to Reading.  After lots of broken headphones, I ordered headphones from Best Buy with the replacement guarantee.  It was very difficult ordering through them–definitely not my favorite vendor–but I don’t have to worry if they are broken now.  With the lice epidemic in first grade last year, I’m a little nervous about sharing headphones this year.  I highly recommend that you burn the cds you buy to iTunes, and then burn a copy of the cd to use in the listening center.  That way, you’re not out tons of money when the cds scratch, as they certainly will.

For more information, check out Barrow’s Hodge Podge,  Castles and Crayons, and DillyDabbles.  This is a blog hop (that I can’t get to work on mine!) and I really enjoyed seeing all of the ideas out there…lots of practical information.