Teachers use the interactive read-aloud procedure to share selections that are appropriate for students' interest level but too difficult for them to read by themselves (Barrentine, 1996).

Teachers scaffold students' reading to teach reading strategies (Fountas & Pinnell, 1996, 2001).  Guided reading is conducted with small groups of students who read at the same level.

Students follow along as the teacher reads a selection aloud (Fisher & Medvic, 2000).  Primary-grade teachers often use big books-enlarged versions of the selection-for shared reading (Holdaway, 1979).