Transform Picture Books Into Powerful Shared Reading Tools
Schoolutions: Curious Educators. Evidence-Based Strategies. Classrooms Where Every Child Thrives.
01/19/26
•17m
About
Comments
Transcript
Featured In
In Part One of my S5E21 @schoolutionspodcast conversation, Maria Walther breaks down the critical difference between read aloud and shared reading, and shares why those short, focused bursts of instruction are the bridge your students need between teacher-led learning and independence. We discuss how to make this work alongside published curriculum, effective teaching, instructional strategies, and lesson planning that honors what kids need.
Key Topics Discussed in Part One:
✅ The difference between read aloud and shared reading
✅ Why brevity matters for student engagement, active learning, and attention in class
✅ How to connect phonics instruction to authentic reading experiences
✅ Planning short burst shared reading sessions that boost student participation
✅ Using picture books you already have for innovative teaching and inclusive teaching
✅ Supporting student motivation and inspiring students through focused literacy instruction
Some resources mentioned:
- 📚 Shake Up Shared Reading by Maria Walther
- 📚 Choice Words by Peter Johnston
Other Books by Maria:
- 📚 The Ramped-Up Read Aloud
- 📚 More Ramped-Up Read Alouds
- 📚 A Year for the Books
- 📚 The Literacy Workshop
Chapters:
0:00 - Introduction to Maria Walther
01:00 - The Problem: Shared Reading is Disappearing
02:00 - Episode Structure & What's Coming
03:00 - Meet Maria Walther: Literacy Expert
04:00 - Essential Research: Peter Johnston's "Choice Words"
05:00 - Why Shake Up Shared Reading?
06:30 - Read Aloud vs. Shared Reading: Key Differences
08:00 - Connecting Phonics to Shared Reading
09:00 - The Power of Short Bursts
10:00 - Planning a Shared Reading Session
12:00 - Text Accessibility & Student Support
13:00 - Lightning Round Begins
13:30 - Advice for First-Year Teachers
14:00 - Biggest Misconception About Shared Reading
14:15 - Most Important Literacy Skill: Inferring
14:45 - What Surprises About First Graders
15:00 - Go-To Questions During Read Aloud
16:00 - This Week's Challenge
17:00 - Wrap-Up & Preview of Part 2
📧 Connect: schoolutionspodcast@gmail.com
🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl
🔗 Part Two drops this week - 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and
💬SHARE with fellow educators!
When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.
Previous Episode
Part Two of my S5E20 @schoolutionspodcast conversation with Dr. Michelle Chanda Singh, learn about effective digital media and edu tech tools that give students creative agency, fostering interactive learning.
In this episode, you'll discover:
🎯 Why traditional curriculum fails and how storytelling bridges the gap
📱 Digital storytelling tools: Canva and Adobe Spark
🎤 The guest speaker strategy that actually resonates with students
👨👩👧👦 How a 10th-grade interview assignment preserved family legacy
✨ The difference between "supporting" and "RAISING" classrooms
🚀 One actionable next step to start Monday morning
Michelle shares how a simple 10th-grade assignment—interviewing an elder family member—became an irreplaceable treasure when her grandfather passed two years later. This is storytelling as legacy, connection, and curriculum combined.
💫Check out Part One & Digital Tools Mentioned:
• Canva for Education
• Adobe Spark
• Microsoft Clip
Chapters:
0:00 - Introduction: From Why to How—Taking Action with Storytelling
1:00 - Welcome Back to Part Two with Dr. Michelle Chanda Singh
1:46 - Reminder: Listen to Part One First!
2:00 - Bridge Building Solutions: Why Incorporate Storytelling into Curriculum?
2:22 - Storytelling Makes Teaching Human, Simply Put
2:48 - Traditional Curriculum Misses the Mark: The Gaps
3:09 - Storytelling Democratizes Education
4:00 - Seeing Ourselves as Whole Human Beings, Not Victims
4:26 - Digital Storytelling Tools: Capturing and Creating Stories
5:00 - The Power of Canva: Student Agency in Storytelling
5:31 - Removing Barriers: Not Every Student Wants to Raise Their Hand
6:00 - Adobe Spark and Free Educator Accounts
6:42 - Collaborative Memoir Writing: NCTE Session Inspiration
7:00 - Funds of Knowledge: Interviewing Family Members
7:42 - The 10th Grade Assignment That Changed Everything
8:00 - Meet Michelle's Grandfather: The Father Figure Who Made It All Possible
9:00 - Recording the Interview: A Moment of Intuition
9:42 - Discovering Family History: Seeing Grandpa as a Teenager
10:00 - 2 Years Later: Grandfather Passes Away
10:42 - Creating the Funeral Slideshow: Videos Become Legacy
11:00 - Stories Passed Down to Great-Niece's Twins
11:42 - Guest Speakers: Beyond the Perfect Resume
12:00 - Kids Need Real Human Stories, Not Just Credentials
12:42 - The HBCU Guest Speaker Example: Pastor and First Lady
13:00 - Models Who Look Like Them: 90% Black or Caribbean Descent
13:42 - "How Did You Get From Here to There?" The Stories That Matter
14:00 - Mentorship Through Lived Experience
14:42 - Balance: Expertise AND Human Touch
15:00 - Michelle's Quote: "Stories Resonate, Connect, and Cultivate Community"
15:42 - One Next Step for Monday: Start Small
16:00 - Stories as Entry Points to Learning
16:42 - Video Clips, Podcasts, Student Grandparent Stories
17:00 - Storytelling Is NOT an Add-On—It's the Foundation
17:42 - Connection to Learning, to Each Other, to Content, to Teachers
18:00 - "We're Raising the People. We're Raising the Humanity."
18:22 - Closing: Emotional Engagement
18:42 - Olivia's Reflection: Try One Story-Based Entry Point
19:00 - Preview: Next Week with Maria Walther on Read Alouds
19:42 - Credits and Thank You
20:00 - How to Connect and Share This Episode
When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.
Next Episode
No Big Books? No Problem!
January 21
•0m
In this reel clip, we discuss the essential components of shared reading and why it needs to be updated. Many classrooms lack traditional materials, impacting effective teaching strategies. Maria Walther also shares reading tips for creating a more engaging and impactful literacy experience for students.
Shared reading doesn't have to disappear from your classroom just because big books are hard to find! Maria Walther even reveals why shared reading is slipping away in classrooms and shares a game-changing solution that uses materials you already have on your shelf.
Discover how to transform your existing picture books into powerful shared reading tools, boosting student engagement, student participation, and active learning without spending a dime on new materials. This innovative teaching approach brings fresh life to effective teaching practices and proves that the best instructional strategies often come from reimagining what's already in your classroom.
🔑 KEY TAKEAWAYS:
• Why shared reading has been disappearing from classrooms
• How to use picture books for shared reading instead of big books
• Practical strategies for student motivation and attention in class
• Cost-effective solutions for inspiring students through literacy
🚀📚 Watch the full Part One & Part Two of our @schoolutionspodcast S5E21 interview.
0:00 - Why Shared Reading Needs Shaking Up
0:08 - The Real Problem with Shared Reading
0:18 - Big Books Are Disappearing from Classrooms
0:28 - Shared Reading Started Slipping Away
0:38 - The Picture Book Solution
0:48 - Using Read Aloud Books for Shared Reading
0:58 - It's the Materials, Not the Method
📧 Connect: schoolutionspodcast@gmail.com
🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl
Don't forget to 👍LIKE this video if it helped you, 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE with fellow educators!
#SharedReading #TeachingTips #LiteracyInstruction #ElementaryTeachers #EducationStrategies #StudentEngagement #ClassroomStrategies #ProfessionalDevelopment #InstructionalCoaching #TeacherLife
When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.
If you like this episode you’ll love
Promoted