Why Should I Keep My Read Aloud Time?


 As teachers of students with short attention spans and slight comprehension, why should we we spend time reading aloud to the whole class?  In this fabulous age of the Science of Reading, is that even allowed anymore?  What is Best Practice?

Here's a list of five reasons why we should still keep reading aloud in classrooms.

  1. Read Alouds are part of the Science of Reading
  2. Connecting with students
  3. Behavior
  4. Mindfulness
  5. It's Fun!

1. Read Alouds are part of the Science of Reading

I was lucky enough to get trained in Orton Gillingham Yoshimoto method for 40 hours by my district.  The Science of Reading is based on a "rope" which contains two sides.  One side is what we've all been hearing about and learning:

  • the encoding & decoding of words
  • identifying sounds
  • fluency
  • handwriting
  • learning phonemes both written and orally presented
  • multi-sensory, whole body approach
  • language rules
BUT, goodness, look at the rest of of the rope on the other side. (see below)  All the things covered in an excellent read aloud curriculum are there:
  • Background knowledge
  • Vocabulary
  • Language Structures
  • Verbal Reasoning
  • Literacy Knowledge (continued below image)



2. Connecting with students
I don't know about you, but I find out more about students during read aloud and the resultant pre-writing discussions. Those kind of heart to heart conversations are kind of hard to schedule in, but I find my students learn to anticipate and start to save their stories for that time to share.

I love to read in silly voices and say outrageous things sometimes just to see if they're listening. It's just our favorite time of the day together.

3. Behavior
Student behavior is shaped by two things I have found as I've dealt with students with the most need in this area.  First is a consistent routine and schedule, and second is a clear method of communicating.  Communication is a basic human right in my opinion.  The best way to address both is to have a well planned lesson that is consistent throughout the year and teach the students to write and communicate their ideas.


4. Mindfulness
My students take a collective cleansing breath, as do I when we settle into our whole group read aloud time.  Some years I have students who can't stay still on the carpet and we all have to side at tables, but most of the time we love to just be present.  Which is healthy in so many ways.

5. It's Fun!
We love our read aloud time so much, I use it as a sort of bribe to get through particularly grisly blending or spelling exercises.  It's a time we laugh, we share, we connect, and we like each other again!

References
International Dyslexia Association. 2022. A 20th Year Celebration of Scarborough’s Reading Rope - International Dyslexia Association. [online] Available at: <https://dyslexiaida.org/event/a-20th-year-celebration-of-scarboroughs-reading-rope/> [Accessed 11 March 2022].

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