Chain Reading

What Is It?

Chain reading is a reading activity in which students take turns reading aloud to the group, passing a "reading stick" like a relay baton. Because students don't know exactly when they will be called on, everyone must follow along continuously.

Materials Needed

• A book suitable for the class
• Optional: a special "reading stick" or other recognizable object to pass

How It Works

1. Students sit in a circle or group.
2. The first student begins reading.
3. After an agreed section, such as to the next period, a paragraph, or a certain number of sentences, that student passes the reading stick to the next.
4. The next student continues where the previous one stopped.
5. The story travels around the whole group.

Learning Goals

• Practice oral reading in front of a group
• Maintain concentration and attention (follow along to know when to read)
• Build group cohesion
• Develop confidence in reading aloud

Tips

• Clearly establish beforehand how much each student should read.
• Let students sometimes choose who reads next, or use a fixed order.
• A special reading stick (e.g., a colorful wand) adds excitement.
• Start with short sections.
• Keep sections short so weaker readers are not left waiting too long.

Variations

• Random chain: Toss a soft ball to someone; that person reads
• Popcorn reading: After reading, the student calls out the name of the next reader
• Cliffhanger chain: Stop at a suspenseful moment and let the group predict what happens
• Pair chain: Two students always read a section together

Best Suited For

Grades 2-5.