Steps To Teaching A Read Aloud Think Together (RATT) Lesson

How to Teach a RATT Lesson

1. The Introduction

Ø  Ideally, when you preview a read aloud book, you want to stick closely to the targeted standard.

Ø  An extensive book walk may distract students from your focus.

Ø  If you take into account your students’ language and conceptual development when selecting the book, a lengthy introduction shouldn’t be necessary.

2. Modeled Thinking

Ø  When you pre-read the book, identify the moments where you will pause and think aloud.

Ø  Ideally, the story should illustrate your thinking and your thinking should illuminate the text.

Ø  Use content vocabulary whenever possible. If you want students to understand what “narration” is, use the word in context when appropriate.

3. Turn and Talk

Ø  Turn and talk is not strictly an opportunity for students to share their thoughts about the story.

Ø  In fact, you want to ask carefully worded questions that prompt students to emulate the thinking you’ve modeled.

The Principals of Turn and Talk

·         In order for everyone to participate, students should not be asked to raise their hands.

·         Conversation typically lasts about 20 seconds so students do not stray off topic.

·         Linda Hoyt recommends a turn and talk segment roughly every five minutes, leaving sufficient time for reading and modelled thinking

Thinking Partnerships

·         In thinking partnerships, students share ideas about the text and the target standard on a regular basis.

·         The teacher advertises or “hypes” the fact partnerships carry responsibility.

·         Each pairing must carry on a focused conversation or it cannot continue.

·         Each partner is also responsible for active listening.

·         It will be helpful for the teacher to model or fishbowl a good thinking partner conversation. You may invite another teacher to help.

Depending on the class you can …

·         ask students to find a thinking partner on their way to the read aloud area.

·         pre-assign thinking partners based on a variety of factors.

5 Discussion Strategies

1.  Stop and Jot: Students stop and write in a notebook, on a sticky note, or on a notecard in response to a teacher prompt

2.  Stop and Sketch: Students stop and sketch what they visualize in a portion of a book

3.  Stop and Act: Students dramatize a moment that was just read or predict nonverbally

4.  Think Aloud: A teacher models thinking in order to give students an image of the kind of thinking one person has in a particular part of a book

5.  Turn and Talk: Students talk to a partner about a prompt given by the teacher or discussion leader

What Is A Read Aloud Think Together

“Read-aloud is much-treasured in most elementary classrooms. This is a time when teachers open windows into the world of mystery, magic, and enormous possibility that resides within the covers of our favorite books.”  - Linda Hoyt

What is Read Aloud Think Together?

o   Text is below, on, or above grade level.

o   Read aloud is built on the gradual release model -- particularly the idea that instruction should begin with explicit modelling.

o   Lessons are carefully constructed so that teachers both read the text and actively support the learning.

o   The teacher reads aloud from a variety of genres and guides the students through the key points of the book as well as higher-level questions.

o   First and foremost, we have to accept that read aloud think together is an instructional setting. Quality storytelling is important, but it should not hinder instruction.

o   Therefore, we identify “key points of the book” not necessarily in terms of the story, but based on our instructional focus on that day.

o   Our TEKS are organized into genre strands.

o   Our curriculum is organized into genre-centered units.

o   As Linda Hoyt says, “While fiction is, of course, wonderful … it isn’t enough.” Through rich text selection “learners begin to understand the distinguishing features of various genres and learn what to expect from each.”

o   Lessons are carefully constructed so that teachers both read the text and actively support the learning.

o   It engages children in the joy of reading and provides them with a model for how to read with expression, intonation and phrasing.

o   Read aloud is built on the gradual release model -- particularly the idea that instruction should begin with explicit modelling.

When do we do read aloud think together?

o   Daily.

o   Notice that in first grade, read aloud think together is a stand-alone instructional component.

o   -It is done in addition to shared reading

How much time should we spend on a read aloud?

o   Read aloud think together typically lasts around 15 minutes.

o   However, consider the additional instructional components in your classroom.

o   Above all, consider the requirements of that day’s lesson and monitor your students.

How do I know which lesson to do and when?

o   Start with the scope and sequence. The TEKS will guide your selection of a target standard.

o   Use read alouds to immerse students in a genre.

o   Later in a unit, use read alouds to address the particular concepts or genre characteristics with which students struggled.

How do I choose the right book for the right lesson?

o   Above all, remember that the book you select must support ...

o   the instructional focus for that day’s lesson

o   moments to stop, think aloud and model

o   higher level questioning

o   invitations for students to share their thinking with partners

Create a Unique Space for your Read Alouds

o   Students typically gather on the floor where it is easy to see the illustrations, listen to the reader and turn and talk to neighbors.

o   The teacher typically sits in a chair and showcases the illustrations so that students can pick up on visual clues.

o   Unlike shared reading, where students need to see the words, enlarged text is not necessary in a read aloud lesson.