Making the Most of Preservice Read Alouds

This project was implemented in the fall of 2021 as part of an assignment for an undergraduate developmental reading course. The 18 preservice teachers enrolled in their second core block of methods coursework at Eastern Illinois University were instructed and evaluated on how to implement an interactive read aloud. Each preservice teacher selected a book from a group of 38 children’s books that reflected ethnically diverse cultures, gender identity, and family diversity. The course instructor modeled how to implement a read aloud which included how to select vocabulary to teach, asking thought-provoking questions, and creating dialogic structures for peer discussion. After implementing their read alouds, the preservice teachers were evaluated using the Interactive Read Aloud Scoring Rubric. As a result of these presentations and class discussions, preservice teachers gained both knowledge and confidence on how to successfully plan and implement a read aloud to their students.