Conducting Dialogic Reading

In addition to the CROWD prompts and PEER sequence, you can think of dialogic reading as having three main components, introducing the book, reading the book, and closing the book.

Introducing the book: The parent or teacher should read the title of the book, name the author, and use questions to build interest (e.g., “What do you think this book is about?”). Watch Video 6.7 to see how a teacher introduces a book to children in her class. Now using Activity 6.6a watch it again and use Handout 6.5 to evaluate the book introduction practices you observe in the video clip.

Reading the book: During dialogic reading, the parent or teacher should encourage participation from the children, moving the discussion along and incorporating CROWD prompts using the PEER sequence throughout.  Watch Video 6.8 to observe a teacher reading a book to the children in her class. Now using Activity 6.6a watch it again and use Handout 6.5 to evaluate the dialogic reading practices you observe in the video clip.

Closing the book:  It is important not to end the story abruptly.  Try to maintain children’s interest by asking questions that help children make connections between the book and their everyday lives. Watch Video 6.9 to observe a teacher closing the book. Now using Activity 6.6a watch it again and use Handout 6.5 to evaluate the book closure practices you observe in the video clip.

Using Activity 6.6a, lastly watch Video 6.10 to see an entire storybook reading activity (introducing the book, reading the book, and closing the book) using dialogic reading.

Video 6.7: Introducing the book- Carrot Soup

A teacher introduces a book to a group of young children using dialogic reading practices. (running time: 2 min. 50 sec.)

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Teacher:

Ready? Ok.  Here’s our story. This is called Carrot Soup. Carrot Soup and the author and the illustrator is John Segal.

Child:

I know this book.

Teacher:

Give me a thumbs up if you know this book. Ok a couple of you have seen this before. He wrote the words and he drew the pictures. Ok, John Segal. Now I see a rabbit on the front of this book, that gives me an idea.

Child:

I see a dog on the book.

Teacher:

What this book might be about. What do you think is going to happen in this story?

Child:

Carrots.

Teacher:

I see some hands, Diego, what’s going to happen?

Child:

Carrots

Teacher:

What about carrots?

Child:

Rabbits

Teacher:

Rabbits and carrots, Diego sees rabbits and carrots. Can we put those together and add some more? Joshua, what do you think?

Child:

I see a dog.

Teacher:

And what does that tell you is going to be in the story?

Child:

A dog.

Child:

A soup.  Because I see a soup in its hand.

Teacher:

You see the soup in his hand.  So what does that tell you about the story? Cameron?

Child:

They’re going to cut the carrots up and put it in the soup.

Teacher:

Christopher said they’re going to cut the carrots up and put it in the soup.  Cameron, tell me again?

Child:

A rabbit, I see a rabbit.

Teacher:

And what’s the rabbit going to do?

Child:

Probably eat the soup.

Teacher:

Eat the soup, that’s a good idea. Mayan, I see your hand.

Child:

He’s going to cut the carrots, put them in, put them in the soup, cook them, and when they’re ready he’s going to put them in the plate, and he’s going to eat them.

Teacher:

You gave us lots of steps for making carrot soup. Cut the carrots, put them in the plate, no, cook them, then put them in the plate, and then eat them. Wow, Danny what do you think?

Child:

I think maybe…[unclear] then maybe after that put the carrots in the oven.

Teacher:

In the oven. So you think maybe the oven is the place where they’re going to cook the carrots.  Those are good ideas guys. Phillip, did you have something to add? What?

Child:

Maybe the rabbit will pull the carrots out of the garden.

Teacher:

Pull the carrots out of the garden, why would carrots be in the garden?

Child:

Because you grow them.

Child:

Yeah.

Teacher:

You grow them? Did you want to add to that, Phillip? You grow them? Yeah? You’re nodding, that means you agree, right? Ok, let me start reading and if you have more to add tell me.

Video 6.8: Reading the book- Carrot Soup

A teacher reads to a group of young children using dialogic reading practices. (running time: 3 min. 33 sec.)

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Teacher:

“It was spring, Rabbit’s favorite season. It was time to plant the garden, order carrot seeds, and look forward to enjoying his favorite food, carrot soup. “ Rabbit’s favorite food is…

Child:

Carrot soup.

Teacher:

Everybody say it together.

Children:

Carrot soup.

Teacher:

Good. What is your favorite food?

Child:

Carrot soup.

Teacher:

Lily.

Child:

Noodles.

Teacher:

Noodles. Why are noodles your favorite food?

Child:

Well I just like them.

Teacher:

You like them? Ok. Kelsey what’s your favorite food?

Child:

All the foods in the whole wide world.

Teacher:

All the foods in the whole wide world! Oh my goodness. Brianna?

Child:

I like ‘ghetti and meatballs.

Teacher:

Spaghetti and meatballs. Why is that your favorite food?

Child:

Because I love it.

Teacher:

You love it. Ok, let’s see what rabbit is going to do next, with his carrots. Ready? “Rabbit ploughed and planted. Rabbit watered and weeded. He waited and waited and waited.” Why is Rabbit waiting?

Children [all talking at once]:

For the carrots. For the carrots to grow.

Teacher:

I’m looking for something. Ooh Alexis I see your hand. What is Rabbit waiting for?

Child:

The carrot soup.

Teacher:

He’s waiting for the carrot soup. He’s waiting for the carrot soup. I think there’s more to add. Diego, what else can you tell me.

Child:

I think he needs a special kind of plant food.

Teacher:

Special kind of plant food.  What’s the plant food for?

Child:

Water. To grow.

Teacher:

To grow what?

Child:

The carrots.

Teacher:

That’s right. To grow the carrots. “Dog, someone has taken all of my carrots, said Rabbit. Have you seen them?”

Children:

It’s the cat!

Teacher:

What do you see?

Children:

The cat, the cat’s stealing them, the cat, the cat.

Teacher:

Christopher you’ve been sitting so quietly. What do you see?

Child:

The cat, the cat has them all.

Teacher:

How did the cat get the carrots?

Children: [all talking at once]

The cat pulled them up. The dog was away.

Teacher:

Christopher thinks the dog, the cat pulled them up. Lily says the dog was away. So which fish, which food did Duck say he likes better? Fish or carrots?

Children: [all answering at once]

Fish. Carrots. Fish. Fish.

Teacher:

Annie?

Child:

Fish.

Teacher:

Fish. Phillip, what did you say?

Child:

Fish.

Teacher:

Fish. So if Duck prefers fish to carrots, then the word ‘prefer’ must mean he likes one thing better than another, right?  I prefer carrots to fish. I like carrots better. But Duck likes fish better.  How many people like fish better than carrots? Show me your hands.

Child:

I like fish.

Teacher:

Fish? How many people like carrots better than fish?

Child:

Fish and carrots better.

Teacher:

How many people like Kelsey like fish and carrots?

Child:

I like both.

Teacher:

You like both. Everybody look at Rabbit’s face.

Children:

Sad.

Teacher:

Why does he feel that way? Alexis?

Child:

Because nobody was sharing the carrots with him.

Teacher:

Oh my goodness. And that makes him feel disappointed.  Have you ever felt disappointed about anything? Show me a hand if you can tell me something the made you feel disappointed.

Video 6.9: Closing the book- Carrot Soup

After finishing a book, a teacher closes the book with some questions for the children to keep them engaged. (running time: 0 min. 55 sec.)

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Teacher:

Now, listen very carefully to my question. How would you feel if your friends gave you a surprise party?

Child:

Happy.

Teacher:

Happy why?

Child:

Because I like surprises.

Teacher:

You like surprises. Cameron how would you feel?

Child:

[something unintelligible].

Child:

Excited.

Teacher:

Excited? Tell me why you would feel excited.

Child:

I like cake.

Teacher:

You like cake. So you think there would probably be a cake at the surprise party? That would make me excited too. What kind of things have you guys done at each other’s birthday parties?

Video 6.10: Dialogic reading with Katy

A teacher reads to a group of children using dialogic reading practices. (running time: 4 min. 14 sec.)

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Teacher:

Alright this is Something From Nothing by Phoebe Gilman. Who do you think this is on the front?

Child:

Grandpa!

Teacher:

Grandpa. [laughs] And a little boy. Let’s see. The little boy whose name was Joseph. “When Joseph was a baby, his grandfather made him a wonderful blanket.”

Child:

It’s broken.

Teacher:

Not yet, remember it’s brand new. He just made it. “One day, his mother said to him, Joseph look at your blanket, it’s frazzled, it’s worn, it’s unsightly, it’s torn. It’s time to…” Children: Throw it away. No!

Teacher:

No! Do you think he wants to throw his blanket away?

Children:

No.

Teacher:

No. But his mom said “It’s frazzled” which means the edges might be a little frizzy. “It’s worn” which means parts of it are almost worn out and “it’s torn” so oh no, she wants to throw it away. But not Joseph.

Child:

Torn means it’s like ripped.

Teacher:

It’s ripped. Mmmhmm.

Children:

[all talking at once, unclear]

Teacher:

Who can fix it? “Grandpa can fix it, Joseph said.” ‘There’s just enough material here to make…”? Children: [all talking]

Teacher:

Oh let’s see do you remember what’s next? Children: Tie!

Teacher:

Oh you think the tie is next? Let’s see. “A wonderful jacket” which is another name for a coat. “There’s just enough material here to make a…” Children: Vest!

Teacher:

Yes. And a vest is like a little jacket without sleeves on it. “Hmm he said, and his scissors went…” Children: snip snap snip snap

Teacher:

And his needle went…

Children:

In and out, in and out, in and out

Teacher:

Yeah. “There’s just enough material here to make…” Children: Tie!

Teacher:

You think a tie is next? “A wonderful tie” that goes around his what?

Child:

Neck.

Teacher:

His neck.

Child:

It’s like a scarf.

Teacher:

It’s kind of like a scarf.

Child:

He’s swimming with his clothes on.

Teacher:

He is swimming with his clothes on. I think they’re doing, what are they doing, Luke? They’re doing laundry, that’s right. “There’s just enough material here to make…”

Children:

A handkerchief.

Teacher:

“A wonderful handkerchief” Does anybody remember what a handkerchief is?

Child:

You blow your nose in it.

Child:

Clean it.

Teacher:

And then you have to what?

Teacher:

Wash it, right. It’s kind of like a Kleenex you don’t throw away. But Joseph uses his to keep his pebble collection safe. “But as Joseph grew older, his handkerchief grew older too.”

Child:

Wonderful.

Teacher:

His wonderful handkerchief, thank you Zoe. “One day his mother said, Joseph, look at your handkerchief, it’s been used till it’s tattered, it’s splotched and it’s splattered, it’s time to…” Teacher and children: “Throw it out!”

Child:

No way!

Teacher:

No way. That’s right.

Child:

No!

Teacher:

I think she’s had enough. Look. See these big words mean she’s getting loud, she’s like “Ugh, throw it out!” So even though he had no material left,

Child:

Only he makes something from nothing.

Teacher:

He made something from nothing, didn’t he? He made a story.

Child:

Look at the mouse!

Teacher:

Looks like the mice are wearing jackets, the same material, aren’t they?

Child:

Yeah.

Teacher:

Alright.

Child:

I think the mice got it.

Teacher:

You think the mice took his material? So he did, he made something from nothing. He wrote a story.

Child:

Yeah, the mice did it.

Teacher:

Yeah. You think the mice took his stuff? I think you’re probably right.