Drawing during Read aloud

[Paula Daubert]

Have any of you ever allowed students to draw while you're reading aloud? I am not speaking of an assignment where you may ask students to draw whatever comes to their mind while you are reading. I'm speaking of kids who like to draw or doodle while you are reading. If you allow it, are the students able to comprehend what is being read? Are they listening, or are they using doodling to tune out? What are your thoughts on this?

[Alexis Cuff]

I have never been a fan of this. I feel like it distracts the listener.

[Allison Williams]

My classes are in a story well where they don't have access to paper or pencils. But one thing has often puzzled me. I have occasionally had kids who don't look at the pictures in the book I am showing and reading. They appear to be listening but they are looking away. Do you think the combination of words and pictures is too much stimulation? I never say anything to them, figuring I don't need to have total mind control ; ) but I do wonder about it.

[Debbie Meservey]

I have wondered about this as well. We just read the book “Hurry Up and Slow Down” by Layn Marlow, and we talked about how you really don’t get everything you can out of a picture book unless you listen to the words and take the time to really look at the illustrations. Yet I have students who stare off into space while I’m reading, or study their shoes or the carpet. I have nicely asked them to remember to look at the pictures while I’m reading or they might miss something.

[Barbara Gogan]

I am someone who comprehends better if I am knitting (something simple!) while I listen than if I'm not (I may have ADD), so I am sympathetic, but I don't find doodling helps the same way.  With a few students, having them hold something that is not distracting to the other students can serve the same purpose of calming the brain and allowing it to hear.  This is something that is only done with consultation with the Special Ed professionals and the classroom teacher.

[Kelly Farrow]

One time I did do this b/c I'd found a wonderful audio program read by an author, and I know how much better I can focus if I draw when I'm listening to something that has no visual component, so I provided paper and pencils for the kids and asked them to draw what the author was talking about. I think if there had been a visual component (like pictures in a book), however, I wouldn't have provided the paper or pencils.