ABSTRACT
Shared reading is the driving force underlying a balanced literacy program and contributes to all aspects of it. Readers’ oral language is their primary source for anticipating what may happen next in the text and checking whether their reading makes sense. Shared reading can be used to reinforce and build on the oral language each child has and supports continued development in a number of ways. Shared reading complements and extends the read-aloud experience. It enables children to apply their knowledge about how books work to learning to read for themselves. Used with older children, shared reading can provide valuable opportunities for oral language development as well as models for reading, writing, and spelling. Shared reading provides countless opportunities for ongoing assessment.
