Shared Book Reading

Shared book reading is a literature based language intervention that works well with children with language difficulty.

literature based intervention is an effecitve way of teaching students language and literacy skills.

Speech-language pathologists who use this method don't actually teach reading skills, or decoding skills. Instead, they focus on the underlying language that underpins all literacy.


I use the shared book reading method often, and the benefits and the results I've had are very encouraging. What I like about the method is that text-based intervention has a strong contextual base.

This is important, because learning abstract language concepts within a familiar context helps to alleviate the problems associated with decontextualized language.

Shared book reading's primary goal is for a clinician to use a story book as a therapeutic tool to improve language knowledge and use.


This is done by using the text and illustrations in a picture book as the source of language stimulation. The language is essentially examined and parsed in detail using the text and pictures in a children's story book.

The number of language goals that can be gained from one passage in a well written children's book is quite amazing.


It's enjoyable to use text-based language intervention. The students tend to enjoy it too. That's because they get to think and learn about literacy and language in a new way that is interesting to them.


Sequence of Text-based Language Strategies


Please follow the links for a more in depth discussion on shared book reading strategies.


Language Therapy Technique Downloads

Shared Reading Technique 1
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Shared Reading Technique 2
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Recommended Sequence
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References

DeKemel, K.P. (2003) Intervention in Language Arts: A Practical Guide for Speech-Language Pathologists. Butterworth-Heinemann.

Kaderavek, J & Justice, L.M. (2002) Shared Storybook Reading as an Intervention Context: Practices and Potential Pitfalls. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, Vol 11. 395-406.

Norris, J.A. (1991) From Frog to Prince: Using Written Language as a Context for Language Learning, Topics in Language Disorders. Vol 12, 66-81

Wallach, G.P. (2008) Language Intervention for School-Age Students: Setting Goals for Academic Success. Mosby Elsevier


Content Last Updated 8/11



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