I don’t know about you, but I love reading books aloud. Granted, it’s not received too well around the office when I stand on editor-at-large Diane Badden’s office chair and, in a booming voice inflected with the accent of a seafaring 18th century New Englander, declaim in grand tones heard throughout the halls of The Mailbox, “Call me Ishmael. Some years ago – never mind how long precisely – having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world.”
Call me crazy. When I read to my children before bedtime, I assign every character in a story a different voice, from dead-ringer Brooklynese of the Bowery Boys to upper-crust, stiff-jawed English nobility worthy of a place on “Downtown Abbey.” Last night, I read “The Red Balloon” aloud to my two youngest and did so from beginning to end in a French accent. They loved it. I loved it. Il était magnifique!
World Read Aloud Day is coming on March 7, 2012. It’s a day to focus awareness on issues of global literacy—a supremely important focus, to be sure. And I encourage you, as teachers, to do everything you can to have your students participate. I have no stake in promoting World Read Aloud Day except for this: reading aloud from a good book does wonders for your ability to determine how well a child might be internalizing a text, and it does wonders for a child to hear how text can—and should, with your guidance—sound. As writers, nothing helps one determine the effectiveness of syntax and word choice better than hearing one’s own writing read aloud.
I wish I could be in your classrooms on March 7 to read aloud to your students, share my accents, and hear how well you all read aloud. And although it’s not my name, I might even let you and your students call me Ishmael.
Do you enjoy reading aloud to your students? Will you be participating in World Read Aloud Day? Or do you have tips for reading aloud to your students that you want to share with your colleagues here at the Upper Grades Exchange? Please do!
I love to read aloud, and also use different voices and expression when I read to my 4th graders. My students love it! We will be participating in Read Aloud day on March 7th.
I plan on using various methods for my children to experience the fun and excitement of books. I will be using online books read aloud – who better than an actor when it comes to expression and characterization when reading? The children love this time and I “catch” them trying to read the same way. In addition, we are going to read some silly poems aloud and record ourselves. Such fun!
Many of my students have signed up to read in other rooms and are practicing their books during our Independent Reading time each day. This is our favorite time of the day – when we can travel or “see” anything in the world – and leave our classroom – without the aid of transportation – for just a little while and experience our books.