Read to Someone

My Love-Hate Relationship With Read to Someone (And a Freebie)

     True confession time.  As much as I love Daily Five, I dread the day I introduce Read to Someone.  A big part of it is the age of the children I teach.  Younger children may love to read together and I'm sure it really works.  Older students are much more social.  They are starting to test the absolute authority of teachers and their friends become much more important.  Put two upper elementary students together and I guarantee they will be talking about things other than reading.  
     They are also hyper-aware of reading levels, no matter how well you disguise it.  Poor readers are embarrassed by their books.  They don't want to be seen with "baby books".  Intermediate level books are also longer, so the idea of "I read- you read" doesn't work because it does serious damage to comprehension.
     So how do I overcome my natural aversion to Read to Someone?  Here are a few tips and tricks I have learned.  I hope they will be helpful if you teach fourth grade and up and want to use The Daily Five. 
1.  Save RTS for last.  I save it for when the kids start to get a bit antsy with the typical choices, like around holiday time.  That makes it all the more special.  Because I make a big deal about it, I also tell them that it is a privilege.  If they can't do it well, they will lose it.  
     I tell my students (and it's the truth) that I check in and confer with partners much more often than "singles", so they better be on their "A" game! When I confer with partners I usually act like a coach for one or more of them, telling them what to say to their partner.  I will write those down on stickees for them to refer to later.
2.  Take a lot more time to model RTS.  Intermediate teachers are lucky in that we probably don't have to spend much time on the foundational skills that primary  grade teachers have to teach, such as "good fit" books, and the three different ways to read a book.  Even with Read to Self, intermediates develop stamina much more quickly.  So use that gift of extra time and spend it on Read to Someone.
     What you will need to model is the conversation part.  This is where sentence starters come in.  Copy them on a sheet or post them on the wall.  A "fishbowl" is a good way to model this.  This is where two kids do the modeling and you provide the "color" commentary.

3.  At first, assign reading material and a specific task.   Assignments can be from the basal, a chapter from your read aloud book, a webpage, or Time for Kids.  Shorter is usually better.  Tasks can be marking or writing on stickees or filling in a traditional worksheet.  Make sure students know what to do when they are done.  What? Assignments?  Isn't this what we are trying to get away from?  Yes, but assignments help you determine how successful your partnerships are.  Be consist with the rule that if they are not learning, you will separate them with a silent signal.  Remember the privilege part?  No learning- no privilege!  Try it again later in the year.
4.  Rename Read to Someone "Read with a Coach".  I know it's just semantics, but kids take their job much more seriously when you tell them they are a "coach" rather than just "someone".  Since most kids have had a sports coach in their lives, have them brainstorm what a coach does and how they do it. I have designed some Coaching Cards for this purpose.  Click the link for the freebie!
5.  Partners need to commit to reading the same book...and each have their own copy.  As I previously stated, "I read-you read" with two different books does not work with chapter books, which are too small to share.  Each child needs his/her own book and needs to be following along.  What happens if, a ways into the book, one person doesn't want to keep it up any more?  They are welcomed to separate.  The person who wants to keep reading can continue with that book or pick another.
6.  Variety is the spice of life.  Read to Self is really the best for intermediates.  That's what they should be doing the most of.  If you find a student is always picking Read with a Coach, try to determine why.  If a certain book is really popular, involve others and form a book club that meets a few days a week.  Bring in Listening to Reading, if you haven't already, for low level students to "save face" and read a more challenging and intersting book.
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