The Dialogic

Reading Technique

PRESENTED BY: L AZAGA, ARCILLE H.

Dialogic Reading Technique
This is a conversation between a teacher and
children about a book. Some prompts are
needed to have a substantive conversation that
extends children's use of language. You can
remember these prompts with the acronym
CROWD (Bowman, Donovan, & Burns, 2001)
Dialogic Reading
Dialogic Reading is an interactive reading
strategy that encourages educators to ask
questions and prompt discussions during
read aloud. There are different types
of prompts that can be used to help
children connect with the text. Use the
planning sheet on the next page to plan
your promp.
Note: Each Dialogic Reading doesn’t need to include
every CROWD strategy. In fact, you may decide to read
a book all the way through at the first reading. Select
one, two or a few that feel appropriate for each read
aloud (text type, read aloud purpose, group abilities,
etc. Over time, as children develop dialogic read aloud
skills, the type and amount of CROWD strategies used
can be adapted to meet their abilities.
Example:
Daniel is completing a puzzle in which the teacher is helping him
Daniel: Are there pieces missing here?
Teacher: You'll have to start the right way up. You have to them all turned
over the right way. Daniel Does this go at the top?
Teacher: Yes. Daniel. Look at the top of the clock again and that's the
one that comes right at the very top. Can you see the big hand on it?
Right, start off with that, all right.
Daniel: This piece at the top.
Teacher: No, that one comes next, doesn't it?
Daniel: Then that one goes in there and this one goes in here!
Teacher: That's right. Now you've got the ideas.
Think Aloud
Teachers instill a sense of inquiry in children
when they frequently show how they are
thinking and wondering about things around
them. When they model curiosity and think
aloud, they expose children to the abstract uses
of language, such as imagining and
demonstrating an attitude of learning (Tough,
1981). Here's how it works:
• Involve the child in what you are doing.
• Verbalize your thoughts.
• Model how to think through a task or problem to a conclusion.

Consider this example. Pay attention to how the teacher talks about what she is
thinking, as in, "You know, I can observe this mango with all my senses." She then
continues to "think aloud" as she describes the attributes of the mango.

Miss Ocampo is introducing the children to the vocabulary and methods of observe,
predict, check in science. She shows them a mango and says, "You know I can observe
this mango with all my five senses. I can feel that it is smooth on the surface. I can even
smell its distinct odor. I can shake it, but it does not make a sound. But I cannot see
inside the mango right now. So I can predict what is inside, maybe yellow stuff and a big
seed. And it is ripe and delicious. How can I check that out, I wonder? "She then asks
the children how they might check her predictions.
for child talk. It strengthens and builds children's word and world
knowledge. Themes organize experiences, activities, projects, and
plays around, strong early learning standards in language arts,
mathematics, science, social studies, the creative arts, and health

Effective Conversational Strategies Good conversation is an

art. It is especially the case when adults seek to have substantive
conversations with young children.
Here are three conversation strategies that should be a part of
every teacher's communication skills repertoire: (1) Clarify
Extend, (2) Question Tell, and (3) Think Aloud.
Clarify - Extend
Research tells us that when adults define words, when they disentangle confusing ideas
and terms, and when they add details to conversations, children learn more language and
are exposed to more new words (Bloom, 2002). Here's how it works:
Listen to what a child says.
Pick up an idea on the child's talk.

• Add to it, explain it further, and disentangle any confusion.

Example:
Donna: I saw dolphins at the Manila Ocean Park.
Fred: I love dolphins. They are playful fish.
Donna: Mama says dolphins are not fish.
Fred: But they live in the sea and they swim.
Teacher: Your mother is right, Donna. Dolphins aren't fish. They are mammals like dogs
and cats. A mother dolphin gives birth to a baby dolphin. It feeds the baby dolphin with
its milk.
Question - Tell
Asking questions and telling answers are effective ways to
interact with young children as long as these talk strategies are
built upon the child's interests and efforts (Wood, Mc Mahon,
and Cranstour, 19800. Here's how the strategy words.
• Join the child in an activity.
• Draw attention to parts and details.
• Maintain interest with talk contingent on the child's effort.
• Offer praise and encouragement.
about what they are doing. In other words, they are able to use language over action.
Therefore, routine activities are fertile ground for engendering rich talk between children.
This is illustrated in the following conversation between Bea and Kobi who are drawing
insects

Bea: See my drawing of a butterfly. What did you draw?

Kobi: An ant. I am now coloring it red.
Bea: This morning I saw some black ants in the kitchen.
Kobi: But I want my ant red.
Bea: I often see ants carrying some bits of food. Where do you think are they going to take
them?
Kobi: To their home, I suppose, Grandma says ants live in anthills
Bea: I saw an anthill in the backyard.
Kobi: Do you like ants?
Bea: No. An ant bite is painful.
Rich talk is also more likely to occur in dramatic play. This activity enables children to use language to imagine,
to negotiate roles, to describe actions, and to explain the rules of play. For example, in the following scenario,
some children are at the bakeshop. One boy is the customer, one girl is a salesgirl, and another girl is the
cashier.
Boy: I want to buy a birthday cake for my sister.
Girl 1: Okay. Would you like a chocolate cake or a mocha cake?
Boy: A chocolate cake, please.
Girl 1: Would you like the round cake or the square one?
Boy: The round one. How much does it cost?
Girl 1: It's two hundred pesos.
Girl 2: You can pay the amount here.
Boy: Here's the payment.
Girl 2: I received P500.00. Here's your change.
Boy: Thank you.
Girl 1: By the way, how old is your sister?
Boy: Four.
Girl 1: (Put the candle in the cake) Here's the cake.
Boy: Thank you.
The deliberate use of compelling themes is highly relevant
Thankyou!!! 