Share reading is an instructional approach in education, during which the teacher explicitly teaches the strategies and skills of proficient readers. Students have an opportunity to gradually assume more responsibility for the reading as their skill level and confidence increase. Shared reading provides a safe learning environment for students to practice the reading behaviours of proficient readers with the support of teacher and peers. Shared reading may be offered to the whole class or a small group of students and may focus on needs indicated in assessment data and required by grade level curriculum expectations particuarly in Canada. The text is always chosen by the teacher and must be visible to the students.