The Importance of Read-Aloud and Dialogue in an Era of Narrowed Curriculum: An Examination of Literature Discussions in a Second-Grade Classroom

This research focuses on read-aloud discussions in the classroom of an exemplary second-grade teacher, Mae Graham, during an academic year. We found the classroom environment Mae created, along with her instructional moves, fostered engagement and student-initiated talk. Our analysis affirms the imp...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Literacy research and instruction 2012-10, Vol.51 (4), p.308-322
Main Authors: Worthy, Jo, Chamberlain, Katharine, Peterson, Katie, Sharp, Caron, Shih, Pei-Yu
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aptitude Treatment Interaction
children's literature
Childrens Literature
Classroom Communication
Classroom Environment
Classroom Observation Techniques
Community Development
Dialogs (Language)
Discourse Analysis
Discourse Communities
Discussion (Teaching Technique)
Effective Schools Research
elementary
Grade 2
High Stakes Tests
Instructional Effectiveness
Interpersonal Relationship
Language Arts
Learner Engagement
Listening
Literature Reviews
Opinions
Oral Reading
Qualitative Research
Reader Response
Reading
Reading Aloud to Others
Reading Processes
Social interaction
Student Teachers
Teachers
Teaching
Teaching Methods
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Summary:This research focuses on read-aloud discussions in the classroom of an exemplary second-grade teacher, Mae Graham, during an academic year. We found the classroom environment Mae created, along with her instructional moves, fostered engagement and student-initiated talk. Our analysis affirms the importance of teachers' language in building positive classroom environments ( Allington & Johnston, 2001 ; Johnston, 2004 ; Pressley, Allington, Wharton-McDonald, Block, & Morrow, 2001 ), and contributes to research on literature discussion by emphasizing the power of dialogue in providing space for students to meaningfully use language; understand and engage with literature; develop and share ideas, opinions and feelings; and, develop an appreciation for multiple perspectives. We argue that read-aloud and dialogue should be a priority in an era of high-stakes testing and narrowed curriculum.
ISSN:1938-8071
1938-8063
DOI:10.1080/19388071.2012.685387