Read Alouds

What are read alouds and what can they do for instruction?

A read aloud is a planned oral reading of a book or print excerpt, usually related to a theme or topic of study. The read aloud can be used to engage the student listener while developing background knowledge, increasing comprehension skills, and fostering critical thinking. A read aloud can be used to model the use of reading strategies that aid in comprehension.

Reading aloud good books can become a tradition and favorite activity in the classroom. (An excellent site for information on read alouds is located at: http://www.trelease-on-reading.com/rah.html) The Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement (CIERA) maintains a library of articles about using read alouds for engagement and comprehension in their archives. http://www.google.com/u/ciera?q=read+alouds&domains=ciera.org&sitesearch=ciera.org

Benefits of using read alouds

One of the most important things adults can do in preparing children for success in school and in reading is to read aloud with them.

• Listeners build listening and comprehension skills through discussion during and after reading.
• Listeners increase their vocabulary foundation by hearing words in context.
• Listeners improve their memory and language skills as they hear a variety of writing styles and paraphrase their understanding.
• Listeners gain information about the world around them.
• Listeners develop individual interests in a broad variety of subjects and they develop imagination and creativity: what better way to build skills which foster inquiry?
• Other suggestions and benefits are in the Education World article at: http://www.education-world.com/a_curr/curr213.shtml.

Read alouds can be used to

• introduce lessons
• provide an introduction to new concepts and increase science vocabulary
• lower the abstract nature of science textbooks' explanations
• invite conversation and generate questions for discussion and investigations
• model scientific thinking
• provide content to support hands-on investigations
• model different problem-solving approaches to science that may support students in their own scientific investigations
• examine the colorful illustrations and photographs; they can tell a story beyond the words on the page

Reading and thinking out loud is the single most important thing you can do for your developing reader at home! We are all busy, so there are many online resources you can use to help you! No time to read tonight? Try http://www.storylineonline.net/ and allow your child to watch a member of the screen actors guild read their favorite book!