A class read aloud is something that I have loved since I began teaching upper elementary 20 years ago. There is just some kind of special magic when a good book is pulled out in front of the class. Looking at those eager students, excited to hear what is happening next to their favorite characters, a teacher can't help but smile! The benefits of a class read aloud are extensive. The teacher is able to model expression and fluency, expose students to vocabulary in context, encourage critical thinking during discussion, and develop empathy through understanding of the character. With all those positives, how could we not want to read a book to our students?
My love for a good book goes all the way back to when I myself was a child and my grandmother, who was a teacher in the 1920's, gifted me a book every Christmas. Some of my favorite titles were "Heidi" and "Little Women". I would line up all my stuffed animals and read to them for hours. Once my own children were born, a book was read each night before bed. My own granddaughter was read to from birth. Today, as a second grader, she reads at a 5th grade level. I'm positive it is because of her exposure to books from so many people in her family. The love for reading has been encouraged and nurtured her entire life.
An important thing to remember when reading aloud to students is that it is an excellent opportunity to model expression and fluency to them. For our struggling readers, this is extremely important. By listening to someone read effortlessly, a student hears what it sounds like to use expression. This is something a struggling reader isn't able to do themselves. They spend most of their time decoding words, so there is little left for comprehension, expression, and fluency.
Also, a class read aloud is a great time to have discussions! This discussion time helps the students make sense of the text. Students can share their thoughts about the character's actions and make predictions about what is coming next in the book. One of my favorite things to do is leave the class with a cliff hanger! They love to predict what will come next and can't wait until the next day to see if they were right.
Yet another benefit of a class read aloud is its ability to improve vocabulary. The discussions that teacher and students have encourage the use of content rich vocabulary. Students often hear new words in context that help them understand the meaning. Learning vocabulary in context is much more beneficial than learning vocabulary in isolation.
A great read aloud can help strengthen the student-teacher relationship. I have students that I run into many years later, and they will often talk about a particular book I read and how much they enjoyed the book. In fact, just the other day a student of mine said that a 7th grade friend of hers mentioned that we will probably read "Wild Robot" and how much she loved it! She is right by the way, that book is coming next week! The time that I spend reading to my students is a time when we laugh together, discuss together, and sometimes cry together.
One of my favorite times to read to my students is after specials, recess, or lunch. These are unstructured times that sometimes leave students "wired". The act of reading aloud has a calming effect on students. It allows them to settle their bodies and their minds. Turning off the lights increase the relaxation. I find that it is important to stick with a scheduled] time for the class, so they know they will have that calming time.
One of my favorite parts of reading to my class is the opportunity to foster empathy. Spending time discussing the character's choices and actions, gives the students opportunities to think about the impact the character has on others. We often discuss how they would feel if what was happening to the characters happened to them. This time to reflect allows them to connect to the character's feelings and to think about problem solving strategies.
There are several books that I recommend for a read aloud for students in upper elementary. Holes, Hoot, Wild Robot, Restart, and Rules are a few of my favorites! These books are excellent for student engagement, rich vocabulary, and critical thinking during discussion.
In conclusion, doing a class read aloud with your students is a fantastic way to engage your class! It is an excellent tool to calm down your students. It will help build relationships with your students and create wonderful memories for them. Academically, students will benefit from hearing you model fluency and expression, hear context rich vocabulary, and participate in critical thinking during class discussions. With all these benefits, why would you not?
Why reading aloud to children boosts literacy. Warner School of Education - University of Rochester. (2025, May 14). https://www.warner.rochester.edu/blog/why-reading-aloud-boosts-literacy-among-children
Sanderell, H. (2025, May 16). The wide-ranging positives of read-alouds. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/using-read-alouds-benefit-young-students/
The Hidden Power of Read alouds. ASCD. (n.d.). https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/the-hidden-power-of-read-alouds
J., & Okello, Dr. B. (n.d.). The power of read alouds // how to perform an effective interactive read aloud. The Power of Read Alouds // How to Perform an Effective Interactive Read Aloud | Institute for Educational Initiatives. https://iei.nd.edu/initiatives/notre-dame-center-for-literacy-education/news/the-power-of-read-alouds-how-to-perform
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