The Read Aloud should not be overlooked.

 Spend time everyday reading aloud to students.  Reading aloud is the opportunity to model good reading skills and strategies for our students.  It is also an integral part of the focus lesson in the gradual release of responsibility instructional model.  However, there are many other important reasons to read to our students.

• Research continues to prove that reading to our students improves their reading.  
• It builds vocabulary (which also results in better reading)
• It develops background knowledge. 
• It improves comprehension.  
• Read aloud time should include discussions, which improves oral language.
• There is a positive correlation to reading aloud and writing.  Students who are read to are better writers.
• Reading aloud has a positive affect on performance in other subjects too. 
• It also improves critical thinking skills.

At what age or grade should the read aloud stop?  Research is proving that reading aloud well into high school has benefits. 

What helps reading aloud be successful?

• Choose a consistent place and time, if possible. Bringing students to a gathering spot, if possible, encourages community in the classroom.  A consistent time builds predictability and students begin to look forward to that time of the day.
• Don't use the read aloud as a "if there is time, we will do it".  Make it a priority and part of your day. 
• Try to choose books that you like.  Students pick up on our excitement and become more engaged in the book.
• Allow yourself, once and while, to get caught up in the book and "run a bit over the time". Students will feel excited to have been given a treat...and the treat is reading!
• Have a purpose, skill, or strategy that you are wanting to teach or model.  That being said, we want it to engage and excite students into reading, which in turn will motivate them to want to read more, which in turn creates better readers! 
• Enjoy this time.  In the busy, multitasking world we live in, it is ok to enjoy some things in life. You are modeling the fun of reading!
• Let your students talk.  Talking is a great way to build deep comprehension so we want to encourage this. 
• Finally, reading aloud provides opportunities to spring board into writing.  Allow students to write about the read aloud and their thinking about the characters, problems, or content within that read aloud.