Dialogic reading is an interactive approach to shared book reading that aims to actively engage children in the storytelling process. This method, developed by Dr. Grover Whitehurst, encourages adults to prompt children with questions and engage them in discussions about the book, rather than simply reading the text aloud.
Key features of dialogic reading include:
Open-ended questions about the story
Expansion of children’s responses
Repetition and reinforcement of new vocabulary
Encouragement of child participation
The PEER sequence is often used in dialogic reading:
Prompt the child to say something about the book
Evaluate their response
Expand on what the child says
Repeat the prompt to check for understanding
Benefits of dialogic reading:
Enhanced vocabulary development
Improved oral language skills
Increased comprehension abilities
Fostered love for reading
This approach transforms reading from a passive to an active experience, promoting language development and critical thinking skills in young children.
