Reading Aloud to Students Shouldn’t Lose Out to ‘Science of Reading’
Reading aloud to students is an integral part of nurturing a lifelong passion for the written word, expanding vocabulary, and building essential background knowledge of the world. However, amidst the current focus in the US on so-called structured literacy programs grounded in the “science of reading,” this simple yet impactful practice has fallen by the wayside.
A recent article highlights, study after study underscores the multitude of benefits conferred by teachers routinely reading aloud in the classroom, particularly for younger students. Not only does it foster academic skills that enable proficient reading down the line, but it sparks that intrinsic drive to pick up a book purely for pleasure. Those lacking in at-home read-aloud time have the most to gain from teachers taking up storytelling duty.
When youthful minds get regular exposure to the magic generated when letters transform into adventures, relatable characters, laughter, new information, and sweeping vistas created by gifted writers, it wires their brain for reading. Their vocabulary blossoms, background knowledge accumulates almost unconsciously, comprehension improves, and, most critically, they develop a deep and lasting affinity for the written word.
Yet this practice, which takes little prep yet yields dividends for years, gets very little air time compared to debate around structured literacy programs rooted in phonics, phonemic awareness, and the like. This intense spotlight on the “science of reading,” while absolutely warranted, casts into shadow simple read-aloud time. The article serves as an important reminder that whilst building skills is crucial, creating enthusiasm is equally vital to reading success. Teachers must weave read-alouds into the busy school day, and not lose sight of why most educators got into this profession in the first place - to instill a lifelong love of learning.
What isn’t being said - Holistic Language Instruction
Woven throughout my upcoming book, Holistic Language Instruction, but missing from the article, is the concept that reading aloud serves as an inclusive practice that provides benefits for both analytic and gestalt language processors within a classroom. Teachers would do well to incorporate read-alouds as part of a balanced, holistic literacy program that supports all students.
As I point out, those with an analytic bent benefit from following along with the text as a passage unfolds sound-by-sound, accessing meaning in a sequential, synthesised fashion. Exposure to rich vocabulary in context aids analytic decoders in expanding lexical representations. Frequent read-aloud sessions allow them to bolster phonics skills while enjoying compelling content.
Meanwhile, gestalt processors (like me) who rely more on visual-orthographic cues, grasp words and phrases as whole units. For us, following along as a captivating story emerges helps strengthen the neural pathways that recognise patterns in letter sequences. We build that mental catalogue of words not so much sound by sound, but as vivid images to be recalled later, become our gestalts or scripts. Read-alouds allow us to painlessly expand vocab whilst lost in the storyline.
And truly, all developing readers regardless of processing preference are able to construct meaning more effortlessly from listening to expressive reading. Freed from decoding duties, we can sit back and construct beautiful cinematic mind movies as a tale unfolds. Skills aren’t sacrificed for enjoyment - both coexist agreeably.
Routinely sharing enticing texts maximises inclusion for analytic and gestalt processors alike. Both return to solo reading more motivated, with enriched background knowledge. An inclusive balanced literacy diet must integrate read-alouds so that a passion for books becomes universal.