Time is a never-ending struggle in the classroom. I heard it over and over again, and trust me. I understand the difficulty of fitting everything into a single day. Sadly, when the to-dos begin to outnumber the minutes of the day, teachers often cut out their read-aloud time. But there are so many benefits of read-alouds. They are too valuable to eliminate and truly should be the last thing to go (read about 6 Ways to Fit in Your Read Aloud HERE). I believe that readers are born on the laps of their parents and on the carpets of their teachers. There are countless benefits of read-alouds for students of all ages!
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5 Benefits of Read-Alouds
Introducing read-alouds in your classroom brings loads of perks! There are so many good things that happen as a result of reading aloud to your students. It’s not just about having fun (though that’s a huge part of it!), but there is also a lot of learning that takes place during a read aloud! Here are 5 benefits of using read-alouds in your classroom:
1. Model a love of reading
Books can and should be read for fun! This is an important value that I always wanted my students to understand. Our students need to see us enjoying books, laughing while reading, and talking about books because the value of reading is priceless. Stories change us, characters stick with us, and books unite us. My students knew that I LOVED books, which got them excited to read, too! It’s also important to read books aloud that are above their reading level! I loved incorporating great chapter book read-alouds, like Flat Stanley, Charlotte’s Web, and one of my all-time favorites, The Boxcar Children! The kids (and I!) loved it!!
2. Model important reading habits
When parents asked me how they could help their striving readers, I often asked them, “How often do you read to your child?” Reading aloud to our kids is so important for them to see important reading habits modeled. I didn’t learn to teach by being thrown into the classroom alone. I learned to teach by being in classrooms with experienced teachers—they modeled great teaching for me, and I learned from their examples. Our readers are the same way! When you read aloud to your students, you model important reading habits like fluency, questioning, making connections, and critical thinking skills.
3. Engage students in interactive learning
I have found that people of all ages love to be read to! There is something magical that happens during a read-aloud—stories have a special way of captivating our minds and often our hearts. Books can be used to teach all subjects and work great as an activating strategy for a lesson. You can also use strategies such as choral readings or stop for partner discussions to engage your learners throughout your read-aloud.
4. Introduce students to different genres and authors
When you incorporate a variety of genres and authors into your read-alouds, you expand your readers’ world! Thanks to your read-aloud, they might just find a new author or series that gets them hooked on reading. After reading Mr. Putter And Tabby Pour The Tea to my students for our read-aloud, they checked out all of the Mr. Putter and Tabby books from the school library that week!
5. Vocabulary acquisition
Vocabulary is best taught in context, and read-alouds are perfect for exposing your students to rich words. Picture books are not just for younger students. They can and should be used with older kids, too, as they are often filled with vibrant language. Students need several meaningful interactions with a word before they can acquire new vocabulary, so instead of cutting out your read-aloud, use it as a mentor text for vocabulary acquisition.
Bonus 6: Allow for higher-level text and comprehension
One of the best benefits of read-alouds is that you can read a book that is above your student’s independent reading level. There are five components to reading—phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. Students who struggle with comprehension often struggle with one or more of the first four components. So, when you read books aloud, you can help your students be more successful with comprehension and dive even deeper into the text as you guide their instruction.
These are just some of the benefits of read-alouds. Students not only get to enjoy an amazing book, but also grow as readers when it comes to comprehension, vocabulary, and more!
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