Reading aloud to students during class time may sound like a simple, almost quaint, endeavor, as if from a bygone era. But literacy experts insist that it鈥檚 every bit as relevant now as ever, and they urge English/language arts teachers鈥攅specially of early elementary students (although many experts espouse the practice as meaningful throughout K-12)鈥攖o make the ritual part of their daily instructional practice.
The 鈥渞ead-aloud鈥� requires a significant commitment by the teacher鈥攂eyond simply committing to the act of reading aloud to students routinely. In its most effective form, the read-aloud demands thoughtful advanced preparation. It鈥檚 time well-spent, say literacy experts.
鈥淚 would argue that, of all components [of reading], read-alouds have one of the longest-standing research bases. There鈥檚 a lot of data showing the power of read-alouds,鈥� said Molly Ness, a former teacher, reading researcher, and vice president of academic content at Learning Ally, a nonprofit volunteer organization that supports educators.
Ness鈥檚 perspective isn鈥檛 new. , in 1985, declared read-alouds 鈥渢he single most important activity for building the knowledge required for eventual success in reading.鈥�
The rationale behind support for the read-aloud is simple: The activity offers an engaging way to pack a big literacy 鈥減unch鈥� into a single classroom activity, particularly regarding reading comprehension.
鈥淭he read-aloud increases vocabulary and background knowledge, which increases comprehension. And the better you can understand, the more likely you are to read, and it becomes this cycle, an upward spiral of a literary trajectory,鈥� Ness said.
Despite the benefits of read-alouds, it鈥檚 unclear how frequently teachers use them in the classroom. Further, research suggests that even when teachers do engage in read-alouds, there鈥檚 a tendency not to prepare adequately, thereby limiting the activity鈥檚 potential for positive outcomes.
In a of approximately 63 preschool, kindergarten, and elementary teachers, 50 to 70 percent of respondents acknowledged not allotting intentional planning time for their read-alouds. , an education professor at Governors State University, led the survey.
Below, literacy experts and teachers share three strategies on how to plan for read-alouds that ignite a passion for the joy of reading while also boosting literacy skills.
1. Examine texts for literacy components
Ness recommends that, well before picking up a text to read to students, teachers consider its potential obstacles and opportunities by asking themselves questions like: Will the vocabulary present a challenge? Do students have the background knowledge to grasp the text鈥檚 content? Weighing these elements beforehand can help teachers plan a developmentally appropriate read-aloud accordingly, she explains.
Brittany Brooks, the multilingual learner teacher at Coltrane-Webb STEM Elementary in Concord, N.C., suggests scanning the text for vocabulary students may not know and pre-teaching any unfamiliar terms. She also recommends using visual aids to help the vocabulary stick, especially for students in the early elementary grades and English learners.
Brooks, who wrote about the topic for , also advises choosing texts whose content matches what is being taught in other classes. With her own students, Brooks strives to integrate content in reading units with what is being taught in social studies.
This strategy mirrors an instructional strategy a growing number of districts are implementing called 鈥�knowledge-building curriculum,鈥� which is intentionally designed to grow students鈥� knowledge about topics they鈥檙e learning in other classes, including in social studies and science.
2. Choose texts that unlock the joy of reading
While read-alouds aim to boost literacy skills, their goal of sparking the joy of reading is perhaps equally important. Not every student will be attracted to the same text, but there do seem to be some common features in literature that children find engaging, according to recent research on the topic.
A 2023 Harvard surveyed 66 students, ages 9 to 11, to learn what factors contribute to 鈥�story absorption鈥濃�攖he mental state a reader experiences when fully immersed in a story. The student respondents reported preferring information that was presented in a narrative format, regardless of whether the text was fiction or nonfiction. Mysteries and fast-paced plots proved to be engaging genres to young readers. Respondents said they were also drawn to characters who are misfits as well as those to whom they could personally relate.
3. Make seating arrangements a high priority
Seating arrangements can impact students鈥� learning experience. At the very least, all students should be able to see and hear the teacher with ease. To promote the read-aloud as a special ritual, teachers may consider emphasizing students鈥� physical comfort, some proponents of the practice suggest鈥攑erhaps allowing them to stretch out on a rug or use pillows or bean-bag chairs. But ultimately, teachers will need to assess their students individually and as a class before determining how to balance the twin goals of creating an environment for the read-aloud that encourages comfort yet supports students鈥� ability to focus on the learning activity.
Presenting a read-aloud differs from a standard classroom presentation. Appropriate prosody鈥攔eading with expression and meaning, which includes elements like correct pronunciation, appropriate pace, effective pauses, and adopting different dialects鈥攖akes . Doing it daily, as literacy experts suggest, allows for plenty of practice.
鈥淭here are so many reasons to read aloud to students,鈥� Ness said.
