A Teacher's Reflections

 This is what happens when teachers read aloud:
It begins with a child, grows into groups of children,
and then the children ‘take over’, reading on their own.

Reading one-on-one

Reading in groups

The more I read aloud, the more I empower children to read.  I don’t teach children how to read.  I give them them the passion to want to read.  And they do, long before they know how to read.

I catch them reading to Gloria, and reading to each other.

I catch them setting up chairs so they can read on their own.

Chapter reading comes next.  There are no pictures, the words become the magic that make the pictures.  Chapter reading ‘sticks’ more than picture books.  It’s what children remember most of all.  Really!

It’s what parents tell me, and they continue reading aloud.

I have often told the story of my first day teaching, when my head teacher put a picture book in my hands and asked me to be the one who reads to children every day.  As soon as I read that book to children – Swimmy, by Leo Lionni – I was hooked, and I knew I had been given a great gift.

Reading aloud is more than just reading a book to a child.  For most parents, it is a pleasurable and bonding time.  But, that’s the tip of the iceberg.  The more words a child hears, the better s/he will do in all academic areas in school.  All.  Now, doesn’t that make a parent want to run to the library?  As the number of words a child hears continues to grow, so does the need for reading aloud.  Sadly, many parents stop reading to their children once their child is able to read on their own.

The mind of  a child can understand and process far more of the subtle underlying messages of a book when hearing the words, rather than reading the words.  That’s why I can read Charlotte’s Web to preschoolers; they understand far more with oral words.  Parents and teachers should read aloud to their children long after the children can read on their own.  Reading aloud Because of Winn-Dixie and The Wild Robot should happen in every elementary school classroom.  Reading aloud Wonder should happen in every upper grade classroom.  If a teacher cries, all the better, because that’s a subtle message – one that’s not directly written – and becomes a beacon of understanding.  The head of the English Department at the Prep School in town reads aloud to her high school seniors.  Lights off, heads down on desks, just like I do at chapter reading in my preschool class.

I know how hard it is to make the time for reading aloud at home.  Here is a new toy that gets my vote.  It’s called Toniebox.  It reads stories, tells stories, and lets children record their own stories.  It has classic and popular books, plus characters children love telling stories.

Today at school I read aloud a classic, favorite book, The Gruffalo, by Julia Donaldson.  Next, children could listen to the story read aloud on their own.  All they had to do was put the Gruffalo character on top of the Toniebox.

Children get to hear the words, much like in chapter reading.  The quality of sound and ease of use is terrific.  We love it in the classroom, and recommend it to parents.

Jennie