Reading a story aloud to your children or students may seem like a straightforward activity. However, including the following critical steps reveals to children why reading is enjoyable, teaches them specific elements found in stories, and helps them develop good story comprehension. Follow these easy steps to help kids get the most out reading aloud time, at home or school.
• Preview: Talk about the cover of the book,and point out the colorful illustration on the cover of the book.
• Activate Background Knowledge: Discuss with your children and students what they might already know about the story. For example, if the story is about a dog or a bear have children share knowledge they already have about these animals. When children attach what they already know about a topic, this helps them learn about new topics and concepts.
• Make Predictions: Flip through the story’s pages prior to reading. Point out the colorful illustration within the story. Ask your children or students what they think the story is going to be about, based on the story’s illustrations. This helps children interact intellectually with what they’re reading.
• Pacing: Don’t’ Rush! Read aloud slowly. Before turning each page talk about what’s going on in the story, so far. Ask questions such as, “what’s happening in the story now,” “who is (are) the main character(s)”, and “where does this story take place”. Again, ask for predictions, based on what has been read so far (no guessing) about what may happen next. Checking predictions while reading helps children monitor their understanding and helps them develop reading comprehension.
• Pointing: As you read aloud place your finger under each word as you say it. This helps children develop written word recognition, while also helping them associate the story’s words to the illustrations on each page, of the book.
• Posing Questions: After reading the story with your children or students pose discussion questions. Such as, “did the story end the way you expected it to”, “what new knowledge did you learn”, “what part of the story did you like best about the story?” Summarizing new knowledge helps children hold onto new concepts taught.
• Paper and Pencil: Have your students or children write a two to three page reflection on the story. Reading and writing development are directly connected. Writing activities after reading helps children develop vocabulary and improves automatically recognize common word, i.e. can, saw, the, etc..
Taking time out of each day, or reading aloud at least once a week is one of the most important activities that help children learn how to read. “The single most important activity for building knowledge required for eventual reading success in reading is reading aloud to children (Becoming a Nation of Readers—The Report of the Commission On Reading 1985)”.
One More thing. . .
I really love these personalized books that children can write all about themselves. I See Me personalized Books These books are also a great way to complement reading aloud time with yur children. Just like reading aloud then adding a writing connection, writing a book about themselves help children develop vocabulary and improves their abilities automatically recognize words. P.S. These books can be inexpensively created in the classroom, as well.
Here’s what one parent said about I See Me Personalized Books “I ordered the book with the middle name for my son who at the time was 2 months old. I read it to him almost every morning and is one of the only books that enjoys looking through pages as I flip in from of him.I’m planning on giving this and few other books to friends. It is such a lovely unique gift and I’m sure my son will love it for years to come”.
All The Best
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