Interactive Read-Aloud Instruction With Narratives: Teaching Inferencing Using Theory of Mind. (November 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kelly, Jerae; Taboada Barber, Ana
• Is Part Of: Teaching exceptional children. Volume 54:Number 2(2021)
• Page Start: 106
• Page End: 115
• Publication Date: 2021-11
• Subjects: Special education -- Periodicals; 371.905
• DOI: 10.1177/0040059920987876
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0040-0599

Abstract

Interactive read alouds (IRAs) present an opportunity for early elementary educators to support their students' academic skills as well as social development. Conducting IRAs with narrative texts, in particular, showcases how academic and social skills work together to support children's reading comprehension alongside social development. When IRA instruction targets higher-order reading comprehension skills such as inference-making around characters' thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, students draw on their emerging Theory of Mind (ToM; i.e., a socio-cognitive skill that refers to the ability to identify another's mental state) skills. In this article, we aim to provide a framework for earlygrade educators to leverage and support students' emerging ToM skills to facilitate inferencing making as part of IRAs in order to support students' overall comprehension and social development.