Teaching Theme Using Theory of Mind during Interactive Read Alouds

AbstractTheory of Mind (ToM) is a skill of social cognition recently of interest to literacy researchers. This article presents initial findings from a pilot study investigating the use of ToM to teach theme identification and theme statement formation to beginning readers who are less-skilled in comprehension. The authors designed a brief, 1:1 listening comprehension intervention using a ToM focused inference making questioning structure to conduct a dialogic read aloud. Using a multi-probe single-case research design, the authors engaged three less-skilled comprehenders in Grades 2 and 3 in the intervention virtually using online texts of authentic children’s literature. The findings from the pilot study indicate that situating ToM as a skill of social inference making during dialogic reading activities, combined with explicit instruction on theme identification, is an effective method by which to increase the listening comprehension of less-skilled comprehenders. Implications for research and practice are discussed. Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Additional informationFundingThis study was granted human subjects research approval by the University of Maryland Institutional Review Board. Approval number 1661279-1.