Using Read-Alouds to Improve Older
Elementary Students’ Literacy Skills
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| March #ReadAloudMonth |
If you’re like most teachers, you know
that at the beginning of the year you’re going to hear, “I hate reading, and
there’s nothing you can do to change my mind!” Each year, these discouraging
words are a professional challenge. However, you can change the hearts of
disenfranchised readers—one book at a time.
One approach that is often overlooked due to the inordinate amount of testing that students are subjected to is the power of the read-aloud. Some educators feel they simply don’t have the class time to devote to this activity, while others are fearful of the backlash they would receive if their administrators caught them “wasting” time on this activity. However, reading aloud to students each day is not only a productive investment; it also has powerful benefits for learners of all ages.
Throughout my 25 years in education,
the read-aloud was my way of getting the most stubborn students to fall in love
with reading. I called it Stinky Feet Time because I allowed my fourth and
fifth graders the chance to take off their shoes, sprawl out on the floor, and
listen to stories come alive, and this part of our reading class was a sacred
time. Devoting just five to seven minutes a day to Stinky Feet Time, I marveled
at how easy it was to motivate the most reluctant of readers to embrace
literacy again. All teachers should consider adding a read-aloud to their daily
agendas, as there are so many benefits to reading to students of all ages.
WHY STINKY FEET TIME
WORKS
➧ Reading aloud daily demonstrates a
commitment to literacy in an authentic and nonthreatening way. When students
see teachers sharing literacy in this way, it allows them to simply enjoy a
good book. Too often, children view reading as an arduous task because teachers
have coupled reading with comprehension questions at the end of each chapter.
➧ Modeling reading strategies is a
great way for educators to demonstrate what good readers do when they don’t
know a word, understand a plot twist, or agree with a character in the story
(even if they really do).
➧ Read-alouds promote student choice
and leadership. Before starting a new novel, students can nominate books that
interest them. This allows teachers to ensure that students are exposed to
books that have characters that look like them, or it can challenge students to
consider the perspectives of others who are different.
➧ Over the past year, the global
pandemic has made students and teachers feel more isolated and alone. Taking a
few minutes a day to connect as a community during Stinky Feet Time not only
will be beneficial for students academically but also will allow teachers to
select literature in which the characters face and overcome adversity and
obstacles. READ
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