Performance of Children's Literature Spring 2025

Why Read Aloud?

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Sunday Morning. Required Reading. Columbia Broadcasting System, 2012. Via Alexander Street

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SOCKEN, SUZANNE R. “SPEAKING MY MIND: The Magic of Reading Aloud.” The English Journal 110, no. 4 (2021): 15–17. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27115236.

Speaking My Mind: The Magic of Reading Aloud

Read – Optional Articles

Read about the benefits of reading aloud to seniors

Tips for reading to a child with ADHD

Tips for reading to a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder

What is one specific tip that you picked up from the readings and videos on this page that you didn’t think about before?

Go Back to Reading
Go on to Module 2

25 responses to “Why Read Aloud?”

  1. Amy Merino Avatar
    Amy Merino

    A tip I didn’t think about previously that really stuck out to me was expecting attention. I feel like this is very obvious but often times we say, oh Im going to sit this child/children down and read a story and they have to listen. This is not always the case and if you are reading and no one is paying attention, you might as well not be reading or just read it to yourself. I have thought about this but the idea of putting it away all together and coming back to it when they are ready to pay attention didn’t I figured well maybe they just don’t like this book. I never sat and thought well maybe in thsi very moment we just should not read.

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  2. Aliviya Iskhakova Avatar
    Aliviya Iskhakova

    I had never considered before that listening to yourself while reading aloud is crucial to being self aware of how you sound to your audience. Although it is such a simple concept to consider, I always find myself more focused on the words I’m currently reading and the story more than I’m focusing on how I actually sound while reading. Similarly, I never read ahead when I am reading aloud either. That seems like a difficult skill to master since you must focus on the words you’re currently reading whilst reading the next couple of sentences in your head in order to plan ahead. Modulating my voice is something I also never considered to work on as I’m so preoccupied with reading clearly that I oftentimes sound monotone. Overall, keeping your reader engaged involves so many components that will take a lot of practice in order to master.

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  3. Synphanie Mojica Avatar
    Synphanie Mojica

    One tip that stood out to me was to give yourself time when reading. Either give yourself time to get familiar with the book or to try out a method that may not be perfect at first, but it becomes a good idea. An example would be like in the Suzanne R. Socken article, when she read aloud to the students then encouraged them to read on their own. You can give yourself time to understand the story and become comfortable with different reading techniques like using emotion, and different voices for characters, for the most enticing experience for your audience.

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  4. Aleksandra Avatar
    Aleksandra

    One standout tip from “10 Tips for Reading Aloud” was the idea of pausing intentionally to let words sink in. I hadn’t thought about how deliberate pauses help listeners process the story and create anticipation, making the reading more engaging. It reminded me how pacing can be just as powerful as tone when reading aloud.

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  5. D'Ella Brown Avatar
    D’Ella Brown

    The article that stood out to me the most was the one about reading to children with ASD. My major concentration is special education so I found the article very informative. I learned to not expect a child with asd to sit and read for a while and to also point and describe what’s happening on the page.

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  6. Denise Warren Avatar
    Denise Warren

    I was particularly interested in the tips on reading for preschoolers with ADHD, since I currently work with this age group and intend to pursue early intervention as in grad school. Holding young children’s attention during reading is already a challenging task, that usually requires educators who tend to read to groups of children, to develop particular reading skills. So when reading to a young child who also has ADHD (Where paying attention throughout reading time can be challenging), I would expect there to be even more special skills involved. I agree that making reading time fun is a sure way to keep any child’ attention, but the idea of purposely combining reading time with a pleasant or positive experience was not something I specifically thought of, but I, understand why it would be beneficial in fostering a child’s attention during reading.

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  7. Isabel Belasoto Avatar
    Isabel Belasoto

    Reading aloud helps ensure that we are able to process the information that we are reading. If we are not reading them aloud there is a tendency to skip, omit, and/or repeat words. It aligns with how we see whatever we are reading, if we do not find it interesting enough, it is going it be hard to generate that interest. We do this by adding tone and pauses to the reading while reading it aloud

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  8. Kajol Singh Avatar
    Kajol Singh

    The third video was an amazing story. It is so beautiful she ended up getting a degree in English Literature, and got to write her own book about her experience with her dad!
    When listening to the second video, I realized that I should slow down when it comes to reading to my religious education students. Maybe I can put more emotion into what I’m reading at times.

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  9. Kajol Victoria Singh Avatar
    Kajol Victoria Singh

    The third video was an amazing story. It is so beautiful she ended up getting a degree in English Literature, and got to write her own book about her experience with her dad!
    When listening to the second video, I realized that I should slow down when it comes to reading to my religious education students. Maybe I can put more emotion into what I’m reading at times.

    Reply
  10. Salma Avatar
    Salma

    A helpful tip I got from the video is the importance of enunciating your words when speaking. When you speak clearly, it helps you communicate your ideas more smoothly and effectively. Putting in the effort to be precise with each word not only makes your message clearer but also keeps your everyone listening engaged. It makes it easier for others to understand and connect with what you’re saying.

    Reply
  11. Jada Williams Avatar
    Jada Williams

    After listening to tips for reading and writing one tip that stood out to me was to make sure to breathe through my nose. I never noticed that breathing through your mouth can cause you to yawn. I will make sure to not have that disrupt the flow. One habit I have at times is reading some lines ahead as I am reading which is seemed as a good tip. I find it helpful to allow me to enunciate certain words that I may feel I will have trouble or get a tongue twist and say too fast and wrong. What I find helpful that will be useful in the future is to stop at the climax and leave room for the creative writing. I will allow the child to think about what can possibly happen next. I also need to slow down. I naturally talk fast at times and that causes me to read fast especially when the speed is in my head, but I do work on my speed to help me obtain the information on what I am reading and fully understand.

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  12. Sophia Awad Avatar
    Sophia Awad

    One tip I never thought of was to breathe through your nose. As explained in the video, this prevents you from yawning, which can be very disturbing to your audience and divert their attention away from you and the story. Additionally, another tip I learned is to modulate your voice. As many of us have probably experienced, listening to someone with a monotone voice makes you very uninterested in whatever story they are reading aloud. However, someone who does not remain on the same pitch grabs your attention and keeps it throughout their read aloud. As it was explained, changing the pitch of your voice keeps life in yours and thus keeps people interested in the read aloud.

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  13. Calista Spezio Avatar
    Calista Spezio

    Reading aloud is important for children because it helps them bond with their parents, and it’s amazing for brain development. When they see and point to the pictures and talk about what’s going on in the book with their parents, it helps their brain function. I found it fascinating that Mem Fox said that if your child lets you still read to them when they are a bit older, you can read a bit more complex book to them, and they will be able to comprehend it because you’re the one reading it to them. This will help them in the future because when they do come across books like that, they will be able to understand them, even if they are a little bit more difficult. Reading aloud also builds vocabulary and helps these readers break down complex ideas which is very important, especially for kids. Lastly, reading out loud makes kids want to read more, and In this generation that’s a miracle.

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  14. Jairy Arana Avatar
    Jairy Arana

    One specific tip that stood out to me, especially from the video “10 Tips for Reading Aloud,” was the idea of using pacing and expression to enhance the story’s emotional impact. I hadn’t really thought about how much slowing down or speeding up at certain points can affect how the listener experiences the story. For example, slowing down during a dramatic moment or speeding up during an action scene can heighten tension or excitement. It’s a simple yet powerful tool to make reading aloud more engaging and to connect the listener with the emotions of the story. This makes me realize that the way we deliver a story can shape the whole experience, not just the words themselves.

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  15. Shania Smith Avatar
    Shania Smith

    I realized from watching the “10 Tips for Reading Aloud” that when I read I usually look ahead to the next sentence to see if there are any hard-to-pronounce words, specifically when reading out loud. I also never thought about listening to myself as I read, I just automatically spit out words.

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  16. Leslie Talavera Avatar
    Leslie Talavera

    A tip that stood out to me was reading to the child for at least 10 minutes a day until they’re the age of 5. My reason for that is because I wasn’t read to as much when I was a child and there’s a possibility that from that it may been the reason to why i struggle to focus on a reading or not have a liking to book in general. Compared to a cousin that I have, since he was 8 months old my Aunt started reading to him out loud everyday which made him have a liking to books and his ability to read and write without struggling as much. I believe that this statement is true because i have seen it first hand that this does help the child develop and also have a good relationship with his mother.

    Reply
    1. Shiraz Biggie Avatar
      Shiraz Biggie

      Thanks for sharing this personal anecdote. The good news is that no one is destined to continue struggling with reading and writing even if they weren’t read to as a child; like everything, practice, practice, practice!

      Reply
  17. Winnie Chow Avatar
    Winnie Chow

    One tip that I didn’t think of before was to practice reading aloud with a book that I love. It makes sense now since that would mean that I wouldn’t get too focused on trying to remember new characters and plots since I would already know it. It would make me focus more on how I’m reading it instead.

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  18. Layla Ettu Avatar
    Layla Ettu

    A tip that stood out to me the most was when Charlotte mentioned to breathe through your nose, while reading. As a preschool teacher I do notice that I yawn while doing the reading aloud. I always assumed it was just because I was tired and needed to develop a better sleeping schedule. To learn that breathing through your nose and not your mouth while reading is something that I will always keep in mind as an educator. I never realized how much of a distraction that would be for the students.

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  19. Crystal Ebanks Avatar
    Crystal Ebanks

    Reading aloud allows us to internalize or process the information that we’re reading. Most times, we better comprehend what we’re reading by speaking aloud. It also helps us to have a clearer mind. I find it best to read aloud when reading directions for something, proofreading an assignment for work/school, or reading an urgent task to ensure I have retained all the information needed. One tip that was very helpful was to take my time when reading and make space for processing. When reading too quickly, I’m not really giving myself a chance to understand what I’m reading but rather just trying to get the reading done.

    Reply
  20. cindy ambrosio Avatar
    cindy ambrosio

    One specific tip that I picked up is that pronunciation is important when reading to kids. It allows for a better communication and helps them pay attention to what is being read. Something i never heard before was breathing through your nose in order to avoid yawning. This can be helpful because yawns are contagious, and as a teacher, one thing we don’t want is for our students to feel sleepy while we read to them.

    Reply
  21. Zoe Davis Avatar
    Zoe Davis

    This class is called “The Performance of Children’s Literature,” and that’s exactly what reading out loud is: a performance! I didn’t realize how much goes into reading out loud. It’s like reading a script or shooting a scene. You need to pay attention to a lot, like your breathing and the actual words you use. I didn’t realize how intricate it is.

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  22. Jacklyn Serrano Avatar
    Jacklyn Serrano

    A tip I picked up from the article Speaking My Mind is
    “This read-aloud experience taught me that if
    students are becoming more resistant to reading, it’s
    partly because the act of reading is increasingly chal-
    lenging for them. They embrace many visual media
    and are always thrilled to stream the latest show on
    Netflix, because they still crave the words of a story,
    well told. If, however, we want them to savor the writ-
    ten word as well, then we must first acknowledge the
    ways that their developing brains have been altered by
    the rewiring effects of technologies among us”

    It’s not a new tactic, but for older students, we tend to leave them on their own because they are old enough to read on their own. But sometimes making it into a class activity of reading aloud might be just what they need to want to continue reading on their own to know where the story takes them.

    Reply
  23. Malissa Solon Avatar
    Malissa Solon

    One tip that I picked up from the video is to slow down and pause because it allows you to process the information in your head, which will help you and the audience understand and process the information better. Also, slowing down will help you get your words out clearly and moving forward I will certainly pause more and slow down.

    Reply
  24. Chadeary Avatar
    Chadeary

    One specific tip that stood out to me was how important it is to expect attention when reading aloud. I always thought just reading the words was enough, but I never realized how much the connection and engagement really matter. If the listener isn’t tuned in, the magic of the story is lost. It made me realize that reading aloud isn’t just about saying the words, it’s about creating a shared experience.

    Reply

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