WRAD- Get Excited! Part 1: Teachers

 February 3rd is World Read Aloud Day!. Students and Teachers everywhere will be celebrating reading out loud. This might seem trivial, however reading aloud is one of the most important acts that teachers and families can do to create avid readers who consider reading a part of their life and continue to develop their skills. 

I'm often asked by both families and early educators what are some tips that teachers should apply to their read alouds, and what can families do? In the spirit of WRAD,  I will be sharing these tips with you in a mini-series to celebrate the event. 

Let's first focus on reading aloud in class: Tips for Teachers! 

-Preview the book: You might think this step is not necessary, but much like a speech, you want to be familiar with the author's writing style and language, as well as practice fluency. I always go by the notion we have to walk the walk in order to talk the talk! No reader is ever perfectly fluent, but the more we practice (like we tell our students,) the better we will sound. 

- Practice holding the book and turning the pages: Again, this is not as trivial as you think. Especially when presenting a book virtually, it takes a while to get use to adjusting your camera and holding the book at the "just right" angle and place. Practice with Screencastify or a simple video recording, or ask a teacher friend to be your audience in a demo.

- Narrator & Character Voices: Much like acting, reading aloud is all about how you perform the story. This is why previewing the book is necessary, so you get to know the characters and imagine how they sound. I always share this with my students so they can practice with their books too! Students love to hear how their teachers work at reading, as they often think it's easier for everyone but them! 

-Make it Interactive!: Take notes of places to pause and include student input. A read aloud is a great opportunity to hear students exercise the strategies they learn in class and demonstrate the reading skills we want them to understand. Be sure to have a balance however, as too much discussion can lead to misconceptions about the story, as well as cause students to forget it. 

- Book Selection: Just as selecting a book of interest is what motivates students to read, be sure you love the book you are reading! It is more obvious than we might think if we are not enthusiastic about a book, topic, or subject we teach. If the book is "mandatory" in your district for some reason, think about the book and what small moments in it make you excited. Use those moments as fuel to drive your excitement for the rest of the story. 

-Reflect: Take a moment at the end to reflect on the story and make connections. Even when we say "the end" we know better that a story is truly not over... good readers always think about the story and how it connects to their world and is meaningful to them. Reflecting also gives a sense of closure to a read-aloud rather than the end of the book signifying that. 

Final Thoughts: Keep selecting books you love for read alouds, keep practicing your performance, keep thinking about the book(s) and beyond the story, and keep getting to know your readers so you can make selections for your class that meets their reading level, learning styles, strategies being taught, and their interest. 

Have fun reading and Happy WRAD!