Hi Penny,
I didn't see anyone else address this topic, so thought I would jump in. My
answer, however, is not based on research that addresses this specific
question, but rather from my own experience as a Reading First reading teacher,
and understanding of how children learn to read fluently and recognize new
words.
I would say that a fourth grader (at fourth grade reading level) following
along in a fifth grade text, could receive some benefit from what is
essentially a scaffolded reading experience. That supposes that the speed of
the read aloud is at their level, so they can keep up in terms of their eye
scan speed. One year isn't that large a gap in this situation. They would
know many - even most - of the words in the text. Some words will be unknown,
but they don't have to decode them, they just have to make the connection
between the letters they see and the sound they're hearing. It may be that
some light bulbs will go off - "Oh, that's what that word looks like!" They
will be hearing a fluent reader interact with a text that is just out of their
reading reach, so it's a great model. I've seen it work with below-level
readers in whole class reading settings, especially when multiple opportunities
are given to re-read/listen. Audiobooks, or
even a simple recording of the teacher's read-aloud, can be put to good use
this way.
If the students were more than a year lower in reading ability than the text
being read, the benefit would decrease - and possible detriments would increase
- depending on how big the gap is. At some point it would be useless - or even
a distraction - to try to follow along.
So I would say that it's a matter of degree, but that a one year gap would
likely still allow children to benefit from following along. I will let you
know if I find any research studies that address that specific question.
Carol
Reading/ESL Specialist
NY
>________________________________
>From: Penny Loetterle <penny.loette...@sanjuan.edu>
>To: C McLoughlin <readingteacher...@yahoo.com>; Mosaic: A Reading
>Comprehension Strategies Email Group <mosaic@literacyworkshop.org>
>Cc: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group
><mosaic@literacyworkshop.org>
>Sent: Saturday, October 15, 2011 11:17 PM
>Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] {MOSAIC} Small Moments - Fiction or Nonfiction?
>
>Help me out! Is there a benefit for a class to "follow along" in their
>own book to a read aloud that is significantly above their reading
>level. Class of fourth graders hearing a level V book. Is there
>research on this?
>Thanks for any insights.
>Penny
>
>Sent from my iPhone
>
>
>
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