Shared Reading vs. Read-Aloud

I have had some people ask what exactly is the difference between a "Shared Reading" lesson and a "Read-Aloud."  Well, to simply put it, a "Read-Aloud" is a teacher driven, teacher led reading of a particular literature.  The teacher models and guides but does not share the responsibilities of thinking with the students the whole time.

In a "Shared Reading" lesson, the teacher is sharing the reading responsibilities with the students.  The students dive into conversations about the reading with the teacher, write down their thinking in meaningful ways, and conduct deep conversations and sharing with their peers.  Both "Shared Reading" and "Read-Alouds" go hand in hand.  My recommendation would be to start your reading lesson with a "Shared Reading" lesson and as you close your Reading Block or Reading teaching time conduct a "Read-Aloud" with your students to model the good things readers do (i.e. vocabulary, fluency, etc.).