• Hey, Little Ant (READING ALOUD to CHILDREN)
‘I can see you’re big and strong, decide for yourself what’s right and wrong, if you were me and I were you, what would you want me to do?’
One of the greatest privileges we enjoy as teachers is sharing stories with our students. Reading aloud stories, like the one about an ant desperately trying to convince a kid to NOT squish him, can help children of all ages to appreciate the wonder and magic of a book. Being read to is risk-free. When a teacher (or parent) does the reading, children’s minds are open to anticipate, infer, connect, question, and comprehend (Calkins 2000). I believe you are never too old to enjoy a read aloud. Whether it’s a story or non-fiction selection, it’s both liberating and enriching to listen and have the experience of written language without the burden of decoding. Reading aloud grants all students (including those who have English as an Additional Language) access to content that they may not be able read and understand by themselves.
It’s widely acknowledged that being read to is one of the most influential elements, if not the most important factor, in helping children to build the knowledge required for success in reading. Throughout the Elementary School, PS through grade 5, reading aloud is a daily practice in our classrooms. Many of the grades also have guest readers, (virtually at the moment), parents who come in to share one of their favourite stories. Typically children’s listening comprehension outpaces their reading comprehension until Middle School. Therefore, it is particularly important that students in the earliest grades build knowledge through being read to as well as through reading on their own. Of course, as reading skills develop (something that can occur with a different timeline for each individual) the balance gradually shifts to reading independently.
The upcoming holiday is an excellent time for some read aloud activities at home. All the best for a restful break next week full of family fun.
Don Newbury
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