Leespraat

Leespraat is a term used in literacy education to describe structured, teacher-facilitated conversations about texts that accompany the reading process. The goal is to improve reading comprehension, vocabulary development, metacognitive awareness, and reader engagement by making reading a collaborative, dialogic activity rather than a solitary task.

Although of Dutch origin, leespraat is used in Dutch-speaking educational contexts and has parallels in other languages under terms such as dialogic reading, book talks, or reading circles. It can be applied to a range of texts, from picture books to longer novels, and in multilingual classrooms.

Typical leespraat activities include guided questions, think-aloud prompts, and collaborative discussions where students explain their reasoning, clarify misunderstandings, and generate new interpretations. Teachers use prompts to scaffold dialogue, invite diverse voices, and connect textual details to prior knowledge, vocabulary, and larger themes.

Implementation often occurs within reading blocks, during shared or guided reading, or as post-reading discussions. Sessions are usually short and regular, featuring cycles of reading, discussion, and reflection reinforced by explicit discourse routines and alignment with literacy goals.

Evidence for leespraat-like practices indicates improvements in comprehension, engagement, and language use when dialogues are well-structured and inclusive. Effectiveness depends on teacher expertise, classroom culture, and curriculum alignment; inadequate scaffolding or time constraints can limit benefits.

Related concepts include dialogic reading, reading circles, and book talks. Challenges include ensuring time for discourse, providing professional development for teachers, and accommodating multilingual learners to participate meaningfully. See also: dialogic reading, reading circle, book talk.