Presentation given to teachers in Vanuatu 2016

1. Reading Aloud to Students
Why do we want our
students to learn to read?

2. Biblical Foundations
• The Bible is primarily a written text
• This allows it to be passed on accurately
from generation to generation and also
passed between cultures.
• Ultimately we want students to be able
to have the skills and motivation to read
the Bible for themselves.

3. The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
making wise the simple;
More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.
Psalm 19:7 & 10
Mi mi wantem ol tok ya moa
i winim we mi wantem gol we i
beswan,
mo mi harem se i swit moa,
i winim eg* blong sugabag.*
Ol Sam 19:10

4. One of the most
important strategies
to use when teaching
students to read is to
read to them!

5. What do students learn when
we read to them?
• Become familiar with reading
conventions.
• Hear reading skills in action.
• Access to a wider vocabulary.
• Learn the value of being able to read for
themselves.
• Learn to think deeply and engage in
conversation.

6. As we read to students we aim to:
1. Pass on our passion and inspire
them to read for themselves.
2. Model strategies that all good
readers use.

7. Pass on your passion
Make your reading engaging to students
• Use voices
• Use the rhythm of the language
• Use facial expressions and hand gestures
• Change pace
• Stop at appropriate sections to discuss an
idea or check for comprehension

8. Learning to read can be hard work.
Students need motivation to practice!
Their motivation to practice reading
will come from seeing that you think
it’s worthwhile.

9. Basic print concepts
• Books have a front, a back, a title page, an author.
• Print goes from left to right, top to bottom.
• Text is made up of letters and sounds, put
together in words.
• Words are put together into sentences using
grammatical structures.
• Printed text conveys a message.
• Illustrations connect to the printed text and help
to tell the story.

10. Example
Be specific in teaching concepts to students.

11. Strategies good readers use
• Make predictions
• Visualise
• Ask and answer questions
• Connect to other texts or life experiences
• Use word attack strategies

12. Word attack strategies
• Use picture clues
• Sound out the word
• Look for chunks in the word
• Connect to a word you know
• Re-read the sentence
• Keep reading
• Use prior knowledge

13. Making Predictions
Look for patterns in the text
– Rhyming words
– Rhythm
– Repeated phrases
– Predictable structures
Look for clues in the pictures
Be clear about which strategies you want to teach.

14. Example
Today I want to:
•Teach students to make
predictions by identifying
patterns in the text.
•Encourage students to read by
making the story enjoyable.
I want students to:
•Spot the patterns
•Make predictions about what
comes next
•Enjoy the story.

15. Biblical Literacy
• The Bible has its own patterns and
structures
• The Bible contains some very specific
vocabulary
• The Bible has some great stories. Read
them aloud with enthusiasm.
• Your passion for reading the Bible will
inspire students to read it for themselves.