Reading aloud

Reading aloud

Teachers model fluent and accurate reading. Students experience the  rhythm and flow of the language, and the language patterns, structures and vocabulary of various text types.

      Learning focus

Reading to students helps build prior knowledge of the concepts, words and language patterns of the text type they will be reading. It also provides opportunities to teach comprehension skills while students are mastering code-breaking skills.

      Teacher preparation

Choose texts from various genres. Students need to hear both literary texts, such as stories, rhymes and poems, and factual genres read aloud. Reading factual texts aloud enables students to experience language structures used in communicating information, explaining things, giving directions and negotiating.

      Suggested implementation

1.  Read the chosen text. Stop the reading at key points and pose questions. Ask students, for example, to: 

v  make predictions about what will happen next

v  consider how the characters might be feeling

v  Identify the problems in stories, and new information in factual texts.

2.  Model thinking about texts, such as:

v  summarizing events so far

v  linking actions to characters’ thoughts, personalities traits and actions

v  recalling other texts about the same subject matter

v  connecting to life experiences

v  Confirming predictions.