How I Teach French Shared Reading in 3 Easy Steps

We all know our students learn in different ways, and this couldn’t be more true than with reading. In this blog, I will discuss what shared reading is and how it can be used with your French students.

If you want to know more about reading, check out this post where I answer the 4 most common reading questions I receive.

What is shared reading?

Shared reading is a teaching strategy in which a reading is shared between the student and teacher. There are a few ways to engage in shared reading, such as having students echo the teacher or read along with the teacher.  

During shared reading, the teacher will often focus on a certain skill and they are taught explicitly. This skill will be taught during whole group instruction and then reinforced through guided reading, thinking aloud, and modeling.

The text that is read aloud may be beyond the text that students can read independently, and that’s okay! This text serves as a model for students, and they will have the teacher to guide them.

Why should I use shared reading with my French speaking students?

Shared reading is a great strategy for explicitly teaching skills. As you are completing the read aloud with students, you will model for them the skill you want to practice. For example, you may want to practice pronouncing common French sight words.

Shared reading allows you to focus on one skill at a time and repeatedly practice that skill until students are showing proficiency. It’s fantastic for building basic language skills. One way to use shared reading is to focus on one sound per week. Choose a reading that models this sound well and provides proficient practice. Then, allow students to share in the reading with you and practice that sound. Looking for a French phonics-based shared reading resource? Grab it here.

How to use shared reading in your classroom?

Step 1: Introduce the Text to Your Students

Begin by simply introducing your students to the French text you are reading. Ask them some pre-reading questions, such as making a prediction based on the cover. Get your students excited about reading the text.

Then, read the text to the students. As you are reading, make sure you stop and model what a reader should do. For example, you might stop and make a prediction, or ask a question about the text. Don’t forget to also model the skill you are focusing on.

Step 2: Engage in Shared Reading

Now that the text has been previewed and modeled by the teacher, it is time for students to read. You can choose to read along with the students or just have them read. Depending on the length of the text, you can reread the entire story or just read a specific part.

Looking for some great French stories to use with your students? I have a resource of 39 French shared reading stories that each focus on a different sound. It comes with a printable page, sentence strips, and individual focus words. Check out the resource here.

Step 3: Revisit the Text

It may seem boring or repetitive, but repetition is the key here. Over the week, you want to return to this text, and continue practicing the skill you’re teaching. I suggest spending at least ten minutes a day utilizing the text. Feel free to switch up how the text is used or what activity you engage in each day. 

Want to check out the resource listed?

All the links above lead to TPT, but the resources are also available on our website. Here are the resources available here for purchase in CAD. Don’t forget you can also buy credits for an additional discount (up to $15 off).

Want a free resource to get started with shared reading? This French phonics resource will help get you started with shared reading. It includes a printable story, sentence strips, and word strips to use with your students.