What: An Interactive Read Aloud (IRA) is a reading that includes targeted stopping points that do not answer specific questions, but help to construct understanding. An IRA can be used to teach Author’s Craft, Elements and Structure, Literary Effects, and Meaning.

Who: IRA can be used in grades PK-12 when an appropriate text is selected.

When: Interactive Read Alouds teach readers to dig deeper into the text for higher levels of understanding, a skill that is used BEFORE, DURING, and AFTER reading.

Why: Interactive Read Alouds build an understanding of author’s craft, elements and structure, literary effects, and meaning. It provides a model for fluency and exposes students to a range of vocabulary. IRA allows for students to build topic knowledge while also modeling the comprehension process. In addition, Interactive Read Alouds engage and motivate students, while addressing the Louisiana Student Standards for ELA.

How: An Interactive Read Aloud is delivered through intentional, purposeful planning. This is done by selecting a compelling text that engages students in thinking and talking about their thinking. The text should be enjoyable and relevant, but also spotlights thinking. The teacher will begin by establishing an understanding of genre. The teacher will begin by determining the genre of the text. To create the genre chart, the teacher begins by including their personal knowledge, then researching for more information. The genre chart should be written in grade-appropriate language to use at either the beginning of end of the Interactive Read Aloud. The teacher should think through the text while preparing the book for an IRA. The first read of the book should be for the big idea and during the second read, the teacher should establish possible stopping points. Next, the teacher begins the planning process. To do this, the teacher will transfer possible stopping points to the template and establish reasoning for stopping points. Once possible stopping points are on the template, the teacher will choose stopping points for spotlighting, develop prompts, determine response formats, determine possible responses, and plan scaffolding, as needed. The teacher will then prepare the book for delivery by writing prompts on post-it notes, inserting the post-it notes in the text as close to stopping points as possible, and the plan the opening and closing of the delivery.