Read Alouds

Often times my students will bring me a book from our library that they have read and ask me if we can read it to the class. They have read the book and are thinking about their classmates (an audience) and want to share their discovery. How awesome is that?

As important as teaching is and how much we need to fit into every single day, read alouds should be on the top of that list. Read alouds are so beneficial for kids. They help in comprehension and the ability to discuss a book. Not only that, but they are getting a model (from us, the teacher) of what a reader looks like. And lastly, they get to gather and listen to a story for pure enjoyment.

At the beginning of the school year, and all throughout the rest of the year if I'm being honest, I use read alouds to aid in the teaching of a life lesson such as being kind, being a hard worker, and persevering through difficult times (see my BE Words blog post for more information). But I also use read alouds as a time for my students to enjoy soaking up a book.

One of our biggest challenges with students is just to get them to enjoy reading - to create lifelong learners - to help them want to pick up a book on their own. Consistently doing read alouds with your students and listening to what they like will help immensely in this area. After I have read a book aloud to the class, I put it in one of our book shelves for a couple of weeks. Most of my class will pick up that book at some point on their own and read it. So now, when they go to read independently, they have a jist of what the book is about and have heard it read to them. Therefore, they will be more successful when reading it on their own - no matter the level!

What do you love about read alouds? How do you use them with your students?