Reading Aloud Facts and figures Why Materials What

Reading Aloud • Facts and figures: Why? • Materials: What? and When? • Techniques: How? and Where?

The objectives of this workshop… • Rationale • Tools for you (not just for your students) • This is not about how to teach students to read aloud, but about how to improve YOUR (ie the teacher’s) reading aloud skills

Facts • • • The countries with the highest PISA report scores also have the highest reading scores The more children are read to, the more they read; the better they are read to the better they read. The more they read, the more they know; and the more they know, the smarter they grow.

Principles 1. Humans respond to pleasure. Reading should be a pleasure not a pain. 2. Reading is a skill – the more you do it the better you do it 3. Children who are read to, read. The more they are read to, the more they read; the better they are read to, the better they read.

More reasons … • Vocabulary (books v conversations) • Writing Skills (the more they read the better they write) • Emotional intelligence (levels improve with reading aloud) • Love of literature (your golden opportunity) • Role Modelling • Health

Even more reasons… • • Engender a Love of Reading Build a Close Relationship Inculcate Important Life Skills Help Them Understand the World Around Them • Make Reading a Pleasure

In other words. . reading aloud to children/ adolescents improves… • self-esteem • imagination • emotional intelligence • active listening skills • communication skills • • concentration motivation study skills classroom behaviour • teacher stress levels

"The reasons are … to reassure, to entertain, to inform or explain, to arouse curiosity, and to inspire – create or strengthen a positive attitude about reading regular reading aloud strengthens children’s writing, and speaking skills and thus the entire civilizing process. " Jim Trelease, (The Read Aloud Handbook)

“Reading aloud is a: valuable asset of instruction a capital of which the teacher should make the most profitable use. The teacher, who can do justice to a story, approaches in power the rhapsodist. The pupils will not only listen to her, but will hang breathlessly upon her every word as upon a rhapsodist’s. In this way the teacher will not only win their interest, but infuse into their soul sympathy with what is great and noble, and enthusiastic devotion to high ideals. "

If it’s so good why is it not happening? • Tradition • Training • Time

The good news • Levels are rising • More and more appropriate books are available • The return on investment is high (It’s amazing what 20 minutes a day can do!)

What? . . . Choosing Books • Above expected level v below expected level? • Fiction v Non-fiction? • Their choice or your choice?

Choosing Books • Some are harder to read than others • Some are more/less “PC” • Some are longer/shorter • Do you use the pictures? • Will you ask lots of questions? • What level should I choose?

When and for How long? • 20’ every day minimum • Right after the lunch break and/or perhaps after the morning break • From P 3 to 4 th ESO and beyond …

How and Where? • • In a corner? Sitting at desks? In the school library? In the play ground? • Where are YOU going to be?

Techniques to Prepare the text: - Break the text into chunks - Identify words you do not feel comfortable with and replace them! - Practise the voices - Decide where to use ‘dramatic pauses’ - Decide if/where to ask ‘anticipation questions’ - Practise and vary your reading pace - Decide how to introduce the story e. g….

Dos or Don’ts? - Yes, No, Maybe so 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Challenge but not overwhelm Stop when asked a question Keep to a strict time plan Read stories you do not enjoy Interpret the story for the audience Read a variety of texts Read ‘Chapter Stories’ Read books with illustrations at any level Sight read

Remember you need to do the same as your students • Read a text out loud ONLY when you have had time to prepare it • Prepare the text to communicate MEANING not WORDS • Read for DRAMATIC EFFECT • Read SLOWLY • Read with and for PLEASURE • VARY the texts – variety is the spice of life!

What You Can Do … • Practise • Persuade • Purchase

Thank you for your attention… Ready to Read?

"The reasons are the same reasons you talk to a child; to reassure, to entertain, to inform or explain, to arouse curiosity, and to inspire and to do it all personally, not impersonally with a machine. All those experiences create or strengthen a positive attitude about reading, and attitude is the foundation stone upon which you build appetites. A secondary reason, and of great importance in an age of rising literacy, is the established fact that regular reading aloud strengthens children’s writing, and speaking skills - and thus the entire civilizing process. " Jim Trelease, (The Read Aloud Handbook)

• Dr. Otto Willman says, reading aloud is a: • "valuable asset of instruction and a capital of which the teacher should make the most profitable use. The teacher, who can do justice to a story, approaches in power the rhapsodist. The pupils will not only listen to her, but will hang breathlessly upon her every word as upon a rhapsodist’s. In this way the teacher will not only win their interest, but infuse into their soul sympathy with what is great and noble, and enthusiastic devotion to high ideals. "

On children reading aloud • “Adults should use materials two years above the listener’s reading ability level, children should read aloud TWO YEARS BELOW their level” (Mary Mc. Elwee)

Should everyone see the text? • NO … that defeats the purpose of reading aloud – there’s no communication , there’s no listening: everyone else can see the text and can silent read it far faster than the reader can. • This also amounts to ineffective learning: the brain doesn’t know whether to listen or to read. • It is perhaps the most humiliating, misused classroom technique currently in use.