Please note - the glossary below does not reflect a definitive list of terms, but has currently been created to support PETAA's National Teaching of Reading Survey. Once the survey has been completed, this glossary will become an evolving glossary of terms across the teaching and learning of English and literacy.
Choral reading When students read the same passage or text aloud in unison as a whole class or in a group.
Close reading Using an enlarged extract or individual copies of an extract, the teacher and students:
• undertake a repeated reading of a short text,
• annotate the text looking at both what the text says (its meaning), and how the text says what it says (for example, the writer’s vocabulary and grammar choices, and use of literary devices such as imagery, figurative language, etc.),
• the teacher guides students in the analysis and discussion of the extract, and
• students are given time to discuss their understandings.
Dialogic reading Involves interactive, shared book reading and conversation about the book using a set of prompts to explicitly develop and extend a student’s oral vocabulary and listening comprehension skills.
Guided reading A small-group instructional practice designed to support the development of effective reading skills. Students all have a copy of the same text but read independently. The teacher listens to each child read a section of the text while the other group members are reading independently (i.e. not round robin). Guided Reading relies on differentiated and targeted teaching to meet the learning needs of students.
Independent reading Students engage with texts independently without assistant from educators (who may still observe them).
Language experience When students undertake a common experience (e.g. making popcorn, planting seedlings), talk about it, write about it and read it back.
Partner reading Two students take turns to read the same passage aloud to each other, or take turns to read a shared text together. Can be used to increase fluency.
Readers' Theatre The oral reading of a narrative or poem. Usually the prose is adapted to make it suitable for performing as an oral reading.
Shared Reading Occurs with an enlarged text that all students can see. The teacher reads, but invites students to respond or join in on sections. A Shared Reading session has a specific learning goal such as developing a comprehension skill, which the teacher will model and explain through think alouds before guiding the children to practise the same skill.
Teacher read aloud Teacher reads to the entire class from a book. Can be used to introduce students to higher-level texts, new vocabulary and to encourage enjoyment in reading and books.
Teacher talk The language of the classroom. Can be identified as explanation, frequent directives and closed questions, in the model of 'interrogation-response-evaluation' (IRE). Teacher talk can also open up opportunities for more dialogic participatory classroom talk through providing structured talk practices (for example, talk moves, question and challenge sentence starters and dialogic talk practices such as Reciprocal Reading and Literature Circles). Teacher talk is also used in modelling, think alouds and questioning to support children’s learning.