Storytime Share

Dialogic Reading

Demonstrate aspects of dialogic reading* by asking open-ended questions during your sharing of a book.
Aside: With this next book we are going to focus on what we call “dialogic” or “interactive reading.” This just means that I will be discussing the book with the children and asking them questions as I go along. I will be asking questions that cannot be answered with just a yes or no. This technique of sharing a book helps develop their narrative skills, their ability to describe things and experiences.
Closing Aside:  Try dialogic or interactive reading at home with your child. Simply ask questions about what you’ve read. You can say, Guess what will happen next or relate the story to your child’s real experience. Try to ask questions that cannot be answered with yes or no, or just by pointing to the pictures. Having the children talk about the book helps the develop narrative skills.
Also, when the child gives a one-word response, you might expand on what she said, adding description or more information.
Submitted by Cindy Christin, Bozeman (MT) Public Library
* This webpage of the Talker Script from the Every Child Ready to Read @ your library initiative of the American Library Association gives more background on dialogic reading:
www.ala.org/ala/alsc/ecrr/workshopsab/workshopmaterials/scripts/script_t_basic0208.doc