EDUC 3503: LANGUAGE IN EDUCATION

Interactive Read Aloud for ELL Students—Lesson Plan

Name: Emily Anderson Book Title: Dragon Dancer

Link to Book Talk: https://youtu.be/DLirP0BcWUE

Step 1: Introduce/preview the story and pre-teach 3-4 vocabulary words

First chunk: pp. 1-7
Select vocabulary words to Selected words to teach:
teacher:
Ancient
Focus on high-utility words Modern
that can be used across Murky
contexts
Preview story and Plan for previewing read-aloud text (questioning; making predictions)
vocabulary:
1. Show front and back of book
Highlight text 2. Turn to a partner and talk about a tradition that they celebrate at home.
features/visuals and 3. Have students make a prediction (stem: ‘I predict that ____”)
activate students’ prior 4. Job for students: Pay attention to the main character’s relationship to the dragon and listen for the
knowledge and experiences; new words we have learned.
make predictions
Student-friendly definitions for vocabulary words:
Introduce vocabulary
words; present words in 1. Ancient — From a long, long time ago – 100’s of years. Eg. Greek and Roman Empires
written form 2. Modern – New, from today or very recent. Related to events or buildings Eg. A new shopping mall
3. Murky -- Unclear, foggy, unable to see through. Eg. When you move dirt underwater.

Steps 2 & 3: Read the passage out loud, focusing on literal and inferential comprehension
First chunk: pp. 1-7
After reading, guide the Stems for guided discussion questioning:
students in discussion of the
content of the passage 1. Probe for literal comprehension:
What are Yao and Shen Long doing?
Encourage students to use
new vocabulary in 2. Probe for literal comprehension
discussing the text What is Shen Long? I challenge you to use vocabulary while you are retelling it to a friend
What does Shen Long sound like?
Use sentence stems to
scaffold academic language 3. Probe for interferential comprehension
use Why are Yao and Shen Long dancing?
Show sentence stem: Yao and Shen Long are dancing because…
Step 4: Reread the text, directing students to listen for target vocabulary and discuss meaning
First chunk: pp. 1-7
Step 5: After day’s reading, extend comprehension through deep processing of vocabulary knowledge and text content
First chunk: pp. 1-7
Teachers give an open-ended Rich, open-ended question which will draw from students’ experience and require them to use the core
prompt to students for vocabulary highlighted in this lesson:
discussing a topic in the text What is something your family has that is ancient? It can be an object, tradition, story, or symbol.
from their own experience

Repeat Steps 1-4 in 200-250 word chunks each day until the book is complete (aim for a 4-5 day arc),
being sure to begin each lesson by reviewing the previous day’s vocabulary
Final Step: After completion of book
 Choose four to five vocabulary words from the previous days' lessons to review with the students (ones that may have been
particularly challenging or difficult to remember).
 Review the words.
 Read the entire story to the students.
 Have students respond to comprehension questions using the vocabulary words chosen for review.
 Have students participate in an activity designed to reinforce the meaning of the vocabulary words chosen for review.
Examples include,
o Using all the words to create a new story with student input (e.g., each student is given the word on a card and must
provide a sentence with that word in the context of making a new story with the sentences).
 o Using objects to demonstrate the words; for example, having the students demonstrate what many looks like with
objects.
o Asking students to determine which vocabulary word out of a list fits best in a given sentence.
o Playing "charades" or acting out the meaning of the words.
o Asking students to orally match a word the teacher says with one of the vocabulary words (an oral version of semantic
mapping); for example, the teacher says a word (e.g., big) and the students must say the matching, related vocabulary
word (e.g., gigantic) from the group of words.
o Provide students with examples and non-examples of word use (e.g., "Can a bear be terrified? Can a tree?"). 

Developed from:
Giroir, S., Grimaldo, L. R., Vaughn, S., & Roberts, G. (2015). Interactive read‐alouds for English learners in the elementary grades.
The Reading Teacher, 68(8), 639-648.

Hickman, P., Pollard-Durodola, S., & Vaughn, S. (2004). Storybook reading: Improving vocabulary and comprehension for English-
language learners. The Reading Teacher, 57(8), 720-730.