Make Oral Reading Come Alive!

If you haven’t had a chance, watch my read of Green Eggs and Ham (below). It shows how important reading aloud is to developing an interest in reading.

When we read using different “voices,” using different speeds, including dramatic pauses, it draws children in to books. We become good models for how they should read when they are in elementary school, and more importantly, it shows them how books can come alive!

Think about how important this is – families and teachers are competing with television and on-line videos. We have to show children that books can be exciting, too!

And when we read with expression, it helps children picture the story, characters, and setting in their heads. This is an essential school-readiness skill, as children have to visualize the words on a page in their minds. I once asked a young child if she did that and her reply was, “I didn’t know I was allowed to do that.”  So, read with expression and invite children to picture what is happening as they listen.

Click here for more on fluency.

Standards Alignment:

NAEYC: Standard 4: Using Developmentally Effective Approaches
Head Start: Language and Literacy: Children will engage with literature in developmentally appropriate ways.