Reading isn't always a silent activity. The experience of reading aloud can be enjoyed by people of any age, religion, sex, or ethical background. This action exercises many of your physical faculties, and the very act of it is an enjoyable reward in itself.
“Much of my reading time over the last decade and a half has
been spent reading aloud to my children. Those children's bedtime rituals of
supper, bath, stories, and sleep have been a staple of my life and some of the
best, most special times I can remember.” (Louise Brown)
Silent reading is the way most of us have been taught since we were young children. In the comfort of our own environments, there are many benefits to reading aloud.
Reading aloud…
1. Sharpens
focus: You are so alert that you won’t notice that you are
strengthening your mental and verbal skills. Your mind is a muscle that can be toned.
Reading aloud completely exercises the connection between your mind and your
voice for greater focus.
“When we read a story, we
inhabit it. The covers of the book are like a roof and four walls. What is to
happen next will take place within the four walls of the story. And this is
possible because the story's voice makes everything its own.” (John Berger)
2.
Increases vocabulary: If you choose to read
aloud, you may find deeper layers of meaning in the words because they take on
a life of their own off of the written page as they become part of you, your
vocabulary, and influence your use of language.
“Reading aloud
with children is known to be the single most important activity for building
the knowledge and skills they will eventually require for learning to read.” (Marilyn
Jager Adams)
3.
Causes greater comprehension: People learn in a variety of ways,
visual, aural, and tactile. By reading aloud, you’ll stand a better chance of
internalizing the words and making them your own.
If you are an auditory learner, reading your
notes or text books aloud will help the material to sink in and become
ingrained. This makes it easier to bring up the information when you need it in
the future. A
well written book exposes children to sophisticated language, which can
strengthen their cognitive abilities.
“As
time goes by the memories of sitting on the edge of a bed and reading aloud
with your kid are going to be very meaningful in your own mental scrapbook.”
(Gary Ross)
4. Is
enjoyable: When is the last time you read something out loud just
for the sheer pleasure of doing so? If you are looking for an opportunity to
stretch your imagination and explore the capabilities that may be hidden in
your voice, read a children’s book aloud to someone you love. Reading aloud can
spark a lifelong love of reading for anyone.
“I
read the Bible to myself. I'll take any translation (any edition) and read it
aloud just to hear the language, hear the rhythm, and remind myself how
beautiful English is.” (Maya Angelou)
5. Improves
listening and reading skills: Reading aloud makes
you more aware of things that you read, hear, and help you to identify proper
grammar and sentence structure. Reading aloud also does much for shaping your
interpretation of what is being said.
You’ll be able to read with richness, expand
your literary horizons, and experiment with the many ways you could translate
your findings. This helps them recognize the difference between the arrangement
of spoken language and printed text.
“Reading aloud means no skipping, no skimming, no
cutting to the chase.” (Anne Fadiman)
6. Provides
a safe way of exploring strong emotions: Reading a story aloud
that explores particular emotions helps people to accept their own feelings,
and understand how others feel. By reading aloud people can feel more
comfortable discussing their emotions.[i]
“With twins, reading aloud to
them was the only chance I could get to sit down. I read them picture books
until they were reading on their own.” (Beverly Cleary)
“If we are always reading aloud something that is more difficult than children can read themselves then when they come to that book later, or books like that, they will be able to read them (which is why even a fifth grade teacher) even a tenth grade teacher, should still be reading to children aloud. There is always something that is too intractable for kids to read on their own.” (Mem Fox)
[i] Sources used:
· “7
Important Benefits of Reading Aloud” (https://blog.readingeggs.com/2015/03/03/7-important-benefits-of-reading-aloud/)
· “7 Ways Reading Aloud Improves and Enriches
Your Life” by Stephanie Ciccarelli
·
“The Advantages of Reading Aloud” Richard
Nordquist
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