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by Cassandra Stafford, MS, SLP/L, ATP (speech-language pathologist and assistive technology professional); NWACS board member

reading time: 8 minutes

Literacy right #3 is the right to interact with others while reading, writing, or listening to a text. Interaction involves questions, comments, discussions, and other communications about or related to the text. One way to support this right is through shared reading.

Shared reading involves two parts: 

1. Reading a text aloud together. 

2. And interacting with each other about the text. 

Shared reading supports language and literacy skills. The goal is for the learner to participate and engage. Provide daily experiences with shared reading.

There are several ways to encourage interaction while reading together. And it begins before you read the book!

Picture Walk

Introduce new books with a picture walk!

Shared reading is a way to maximize interactions with the learner while reading. We can start before we read the text - by taking a picture walk through the book. What is a picture walk? A picture walk is when you and your learner(s) “walk” through a book together before reading it. You look at and discuss the pictures.

Why do a picture walk? 

• activate prior knowledge, 

• make connections, 

• preview vocabulary and concepts, 

• generate curiosity, 

• build interest, 

• model talking about the book, 

• make predictions, 

• describe, 

• and MORE!

In the beginning, picture walks may look like you modeling a lot and the learner observing. Over time, we look for the learner to be a more active participant.

Pick a book and prepare: Preview the book and choose what to focus on during the picture walk. 

• Are there new concepts to introduce? 

• New vocabulary to define? 

• Words to add to the learner's AAC system? 

• Background knowledge to activate? 

• Can you make connections to personal experiences? 

• What print concepts can you talk about? 

• What language concepts do you want to model (e.g., action words, describing words, asking questions, etc.)?

Then embark on a picture walk through the book with your learner. How? Starting with the cover, point out pictures as you slowly flip through the book. 

• Ask questions. 

• Make comments. 

• Describe what you see. 

• Make predictions.

• Introduce concepts and words. 

• Talk about what the learner already knows. 

• Make connections to personal experience. 

• Talk about feelings. 

Note that you do not read the book during the picture walk.

Adapt how you do picture walks to meet your learner's needs and skills. Provide plenty of opportunities for your learner to participate. Focus on engaging and connecting with your learner!

• You can picture-walk through the same book multiple times, taking it a bit at a time. Or you can picture-walk through the entire book in one sitting. 

• The picture walk may go pretty quickly. Other times, the picture walk may take a longer time.

• Pause and wait for the learner to try. 

• Let the learner know you want to hear what they have to say. 

• Focus on the interaction, not "correct" responses. 

• If they communicate something that seems unrelated, look for a connection. Attribute meaning to their contributions. 

• Connect with the learner.

Here are a few “how-to” videos on YouTube:

• How to do a Picture Walk

• Picture Walk Reading Strategy

• Talk a Picture Walk with the PRC AAC Lit Planner 2020

Pause and Comment

Shared reading is about literacy and reading books. But it is also about connecting, interacting, and communicating with the learner! One way to encourage interaction is to pause and make comments throughout the story. Have the AAC system available to model on and for the AAC user to use.

Your comments help expand the learner’s understanding and encourage interaction. Inviting the learner to make comments allows them to flex their developing skills.

• Make comments while reading. 

• Activate background knowledge while reading by talking about related experiences. 

• Make personal connections to the story. 

• Draw the learner’s attention to information that was implied in the story - make it clear. 

• Talk about what is going on in the book. 

• Call attention to letters, sounds, and print concepts. 

• Label, describe, and talk about the pictures. 

• Talk about new concepts/words. 

• Talk about the emotions of the characters in the story.

• Restate information to give the learner more time to process and understand. 

• Make predictions about what will happen next. 

• Share your opinions.

Careful Questioning

Shared reading is a way to maximize interactions with our learners while reading. A natural part of communicating is asking questions. We want to know what the learner thinks. And a question can be a good way to invite them to share and engage.

But questions also come with some cautions.

Disabled learners tend to be asked more questions than their typically developing peers. Try to describe and comment more than you question. Rule of thumb: make four statements (comments, descriptions) for every question you ask.

When asking a question, think about the type of question you are asking. Learners who use AAC frequently communicate by answering yes/no questions. This does not promote initiation or expressive language development. Try to ask open-ended and WH- questions more than yes/no questions.

• Open-ended questions give you the freedom to answer however you wish. There is no one correct answer. It is inviting answers based on experience and understanding. 

• WH- questions ask who, what, when, where, which, why, how. We use them to ask for specific information.

Consider the complexity of the question you are asking. What is within your learner’s zone of proximal development? We can scaffold questions to support where they are and provide a bridge to grow their skills. Dr. Marion Blank (developmental psychologist) developed a questioning framework based on four stages. These levels of questioning become more complex. From simple and concrete to complicated and abstract.

• Level 1: Naming [“look at it”] - talk about the objects/pictures present (the “here and now”). These questions may only need a short or nonverbal response, such as pointing.

• Level 2: Describing [“talk about it”] - talk about less obvious features. Such as function, attributes, qualities, group or category, characteristics, etc.

• Level 3: Retelling [“think about it”] - talk about objects and events in a variety of ways (not restricted to the “here and now”). The learner must think about, use background knowledge and perspective-taking, and make generalizations. 

• Level 4: Justifying [“reasoning”] - talk about what causes things to happen and make predictions. The learner needs to see the relationship between objects and events. To predict consequences. To be able to explain the reasons and logic for their answer. 

Be Dramatic!

Shared reading is about the interactions while reading together. So don't forget the FUN! Let your creative juices flow!

Bump up the fun and engagement by adding some flair! Use props, funny voices, and sound effects. Act it out. Extend the story with art, music, dance, etc. Try a different format (e.g., video read-aloud, digital book, etc.).

Fun & Stress-free

Yes, shared reading is about literacy. But even more, it is about the interaction! So keep it FUN and STRESS-FREE!

Shared reading time gives us a focus to center around. The book. The story. The topic. The language. The literacy. But the real agenda is engagement and interaction! Participation, not perfection.

You don’t have to read all the words! You might only read some of the words. You might not read any of the words. That is okay! Comment and respond to the learner’s initiations and interests rather than reading every word from start to finish.

You don’t have to read the book cover to cover! You might only read a couple of pages at a time to slowly make your way through the book. Maybe your learner wants to just read certain pages (even repeatedly!). That’s okay! Follow your learner’s lead!

After 'The End'

Shared reading is about interaction and engagement. When you reach the end of the book, you are not at the end of the shared reading interaction!

After you have read a book or other text, do you tell anyone about it? The learner deserves that opportunity, too! The end of the book is not the end! Reread the book. Over and over. Focus on different things with each read. Talk about the book a lot. Talk about related experiences and information. Make connections to real life. Talk about any new concepts or words from the book.

This is also a great opportunity to model and practice giving opinions and recommendations! Reflect and Rate. 

• Reflect: Retell the story. Describe and talk about what happened.

• Rate: Talk about if you liked it or not. Why or why not? Introduce and use a rating scale - how would you rate it? Would you recommend it to a friend or family member? Write a review.

Follow The CAR

Shared reading needn't be a formal or highly planned "lesson." Focusing on interacting with and following the learner's lead while reading together is great!

Sometimes, though, we communication partners benefit from a specific plan. One more structured approach to shared reading is "Follow the C.A.R."

C.A.R stands for:

C: Comment - Open to a page, then wait. Read the page, then wait. Make a comment, then wait.

A: Ask - If the learner has not yet communicated, ask for their participation.

R: Respond - Repeat what the learner said, then add a little more.

‘Follow the C.A.R.’ is an approach to structure shared reading interactions. It is a way to start with learners who are not yet initiating or participating during shared reading. Continue ‘Following the CAR’ until your learner is actively taking communication turns.

Learn More: Tar Heel Shared Reader has free online learning modules on shared reading. Including one on the ‘Following the CAR’ strategy:

Follow the CAR module on Tar Heel Shared Reader

(Developed by the Center for Literacy and Disability Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

CROWD in the CAR

“Following the CAR" is going smoothly! Your learner is actively participating in shared reading! Now it is time to go beyond asking for any participation from the learner. We start asking them specific questions. More variety of questions. 

‘Put the C.R.O.W.D. in the C.A.R.’ is a structured way to expand and refine shared reading interactions. Once your learner is actively initiating and responding during shared reading using the ‘Follow the CAR’ approach, put the ‘CROWD in the CAR’. This is a way to expand the Ask step in C.A.R.

C.R.O.W.D. stands for:

C: Completion: start a sentence for the learner to complete. 

R: Recall: a question about what has happened in the story. 

O: Open-ended: a question that does not have a specific answer. 

W: Wh-Question: a who, what, when, where, or why question. 

D: Distancing: a question that connects the book to personal experience.

Learn More: Tar Heel Shared Reader has free online learning modules on shared reading. Including one on the ‘Putting the CROWD in the CAR’ strategy: 

Putting the CROWD in the CAR module on Tar Heel Shared Reader

(Developed by the Center for Literacy and Disability Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

This recorded webinar (hosted by SETC) also has information and examples of using the CAR and CROWD strategies.

Literacy with AAC: CROWD in the CAR

Remember: shared reading is about engaging and interacting with your learner. Accept ANY communication attempt! Errors are not an issue. There is no right or wrong. Follow your learner’s lead and interests.

• Incorporate AAC systems when making comments, asking questions, and otherwise interacting with your learner. Model, model, model!

• Have the AAC system available and within reach for the learner to communicate.

• Attribute meaning to all communication attempts.

• Provide enough pause/wait time to give your learner opportunities to engage and participate. Let your learner know that you want to hear what they have to contribute!

Happy reading and interacting together!

What are your favorite tips or resources for shared reading? Join the conversation in the comments!

Related resources:

• 2024 NWACS AAC Learning Network recordings, handouts, resources

• Comprehensive Literacy for All (CLFA) Book Collection hosted by SETC

• Dynamic Learning Maps self-directed module on Shared Reading

• NWACS AAC and Literacy resource page

• Project Core Shared Reading module

• Shared Reading - Let’s Be Interactive! (2020 AAC in the Cloud Keynote Address by Jane Farrall)

• Tar Heel Shared Reader