The Importance of Read- Alouds

1. The Importance of Read-Alouds Stacy Durham

2. Miller, C. P. (2010). Before They Read: Teaching Language and Literacy Development through Conversations, Interactive Read-Alouds, and Listening Games. Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=ED507816 The read-aloud has all these benefits: • Exposes students to a richer vocabulary • Stretches and expands the number of words a child knows • Develops a strong concept of story and how print works • Demonstrates proper grammar and sentence structure • Exposes students to a variety of story types, information, and rich literature • Reinforces letter sounds and blending sounds into words (essentials of how our language works) • Gives opportunities to practice prediction and the order or sequence of stories (what happens next) • Builds background knowledge

3. Links to online read-alouds • http://www.storylineonline.net/ • http://www.tumblebooks.com/library/asp/home_tumblebooks.asp • http://www.onemorestory.com/ • http://kids.aol.com/KOL/1/KOLJrStories • http://pbskids.org/clifford/stories/index.html

4. How I use read-alouds… • I have recently implemented a suggestion box – students write down read-aloud book requests or topic requests • Use read-alouds across the curriculum • On a bi-weekly basis we have students from the local high school read to kindergarten and first grade students • To model the things good readers do, such as using expression, pausing for think-alouds, summarizing, making inferences, etc. • To introduce a topic/vocabulary words • For enjoyment!

5. Mem Fox discusses the benefits of reading aloud to children South, J. (Photographer). (2004). Mem fox reads from one of her books in may last year.. [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.smh.com.au/news/Books/Close-encounters/2005/03/17/1110913718556.html • Mem Fox on the importance of reading aloud