Reading aloud to children has many benefits, including: 

• Vocabulary development: Children who are read to more often are exposed to more new words, which helps them develop a stronger understanding of language. Vocabulary development is a key predictor of reading comprehension and academic success. 

• Bonding: Reading aloud to children can be a fun and bonding experience. 

• Imagination and creativity: Reading aloud stimulates a child's imagination and creativity. 

 

The Art and Value of Reading Aloud

It’s important to distinguish between the value of reading aloud and the instruction of learning to read. Reading aloud has many purposes, but it’s also fun. It engages the children’s listening skills and helps them imagine what happens next. They create the characters in their minds, often adding themselves to the narrative. These are things to encourage, explore, and share. As the teacher, you help them navigate through the adventure, its activities, and challenges. But how best to navigate? Here are some thoughts:

 

1. Take time. Don’t rush. Create expectation and excitement by sticking to a specific time to read and interact with the series. Getting attention takes skill; keeping it can be a challenge. All kids can fidget, and as they become increasingly accustomed to interacting with a screen and less so with people, getting them to listen to you can be a challenge. So, periodically stop and get them to participate in what you’re reading and talking about. Have them tell the story back to each other, improvise a scene, or create another character for the story they’d like to be or see.

2. Listening is a learned skill, and we could all use more practice! We can participate more effectively when we’ve actually listened to what somebody has said to us. When we really “hear” someone, we can see different points of view, ideas, possibilities, and more. Being a good listener is an extraordinarily valuable skill. This series has multiple ports for listening and interacting with the characters and other students. It all begins with listening. Don’t be afraid to go back, repeat, and revisit. Each time creates a new conversation and a new opportunity to listen and engage.

3. Go back to the curriculum. Students get the most out of it when it’s presented in small sections. This is not only a book you read, it’s a book you “do”. Each section has many activities and challenges that focus on creative thinking. Because these learning activities and challenges are fun, children are apt to become more engaged and skilled at listening and “doing”.

4. You have fun too! Use different voices for different characters. Ask students whether they hear the characters as you do. No? How does the HouseGnome sound to the students? Use a prop that is mentioned, such as Ogre’s yo-yo. Use a shawl to help you represent different characters. Let your imagination wander, too, and your students will immerse themselves in the curriculum more fully.