7 Aspects to Reading Aloud

Posted on November 29, 2011 by learningleadersnyc

Whether to students in a classroom or colleagues at a meeting, reading aloud is something we

all do at some point or another (and some, literary programs volunteers, quite often!). But
how effective are you? Here are a few simple but key guidelines to make reading aloud more
enjoyable for all those involved. Thanks to Sarah Worthington, a BookTalk volunteer from
PS 199, for sharing!

Volume: Speak up! You dont need to shout or strain, but project your voice enough so
everyone in the room can hear you. Practice with a friend or family member in the largest
room in your house. Can another person hear you if you read from the opposite end of the
room? If not, you need to work on your volume. At first, you must be constantly aware of
projecting your voice. With time, however, it will become second nature.

Diction: Many people mumble or garble their speech or drop the endings of words when they
read aloud. The best way to improve the clarity of your diction (the precise sounding of
letters and words) is to practice. Exaggerate the pronunciation of each word clearly and
distinctly. This exaggeration will make you aware of how important diction is and again, will
make speaking clearly second nature. You can also practice reading aloud into a tape
recorder so that you can hear how you sound.

Pronunciation: Often when you read, you might come across a word you either dont know
the meaning of or cant pronounce. When youre reading silently to yourself, you can simply
skip over the word; but you cant do that when youre reading aloud, without disrupting the
flow and sense of what you are reading. If youre reading a passage for the first time, you
should try to pronounce the unfamiliar word as best you can. If you have mispronounced it,
the teacher will usually come to your rescue. If you cant even begin to pronounce the word,
dont be afraid to stop and simply say, Im not familiar with that word. Someone will help
you out. You shouldnt feel bad about not knowing the word.

Pace: Dont read too fast when youre reading aloud. You might be able to understand what
youre reading, but your listeners will quickly be lost. Always read more slowly aloud than
you would read silently to yourself. If you do, your listeners will be able to keep up with
you, and you will be able to keep ahead of yourself by glancing ahead at the next sentence or
phrase as you read.

Breathing: Running out of breath in the middle of a sentence is one of the greatest fears that
people have when they read aloud. To avoid this, try to take a deep breath at the end of every
paragraph, which provides a natural break in all prose. Periods at the end of sentences and
semicolons in the middle of sentences are perfect places to take a regular breath. Try to avoid
taking a breath at a comma. The pause for a comma is normally too short for breathing.

Vocal Variety: In normal conversation people dont talk to each other in a boring monotone,
so theres no reason why you should read aloud in one. Try to vary the tone and pitch of your
voice, no matter what it is you are reading. Dont always end a sentence by dropping or
raising your voice: try both. Put expression into your voice, particularly when reading a
piece of imaginative literature. Match your vocal tone to the material whenever possible.
 For example, when reading a suspenseful story, create tension by slowly speeding up your
reading as the story builds toward a climax.

Posture: Good posture will help you read and speak more effectively. Good posture keeps
you vocal apparatus clear and open and allows you to project your voice without strain.
Stand or sit erect when you read, with the book or paper up, not flat on the desk. Your head
should not be looking down at the page. You should be poised but not rigid.

Reading aspects
Making sense of text: Using a processing system
Readers develop expertise in using sources of information to make sense of text. Some of this
information is found within the text, with the rest being brought to the text by the student
from their background knowledge. Readers decode the text and make sense of it using
strategies to monitor their understanding and take action if this breaks down.
Students develop their expertise by reading an increasing range of texts with more
independence, fluency, awareness, and control over their repertoire of strategies.

Making sense of text: Using knowledge of text structure

and features
Readers develop their knowledge of text features and use this to navigate and
understand texts. This knowledge includes recognising the structure of a text: the way it uses
visual features such as headings and illustrations, its punctuation, the language used, and the
voice and register. Students become increasingly skilled at recognising the purpose and
features of different text types.

Making sense of text: Vocabulary knowledge

As readers read, successful comprehension depends on their understanding most of
the meanings of the words in the text. They recognise them in print and know what
they mean. In the early stages, readers know words they decode because they are in their oral
vocabulary. As they become more expert, most words, including academic words
for expressing abstract notions, are in their reading vocabulary.

Making sense of text: reading critically

This aspect focuses on students developing expertise in understanding how writers influence
them as readers. They are able to identify the ways in which writers deliberately select
language and text features, as well as content, to shape the way they respond to particular
ideas or information.

Reading to organise ideas and information for learning

Students use their reading and writing to organise their ideas and information for
different learning purposes. Students develop their expertise in selecting, noting down,
and organising ideas and information, using appropriate formats. They collate, analyse,
and classify the content they need for a variety of curriculum tasks.
Acquiring and using information and ideas in
informational texts
Students become increasingly dependent on their reading to locate ideas and information in a
wide range of print and digital texts, evaluate them in terms of their curriculum-
related purpose, and then use the information and/or ideas to answer specific questions.
As questions and tasks become more difficult, texts get more complex and the content
more abstract and specialised.

Reading for literary experience

As they go through school, students develop their expertise in interpreting and responding to
ideas, information, and experiences in literary texts. Most of the literary texts they read are
narrative fiction, including interactive fiction, although they will read and respond to other
forms such as poems and plays.

Cause and Effect Worksheets

The world is full of causes and effects, so it should be no surprise that literature and non-
fiction writings often contain cause/effect references. In order to thoroughly understand what
they are reading,

Character Traits Worksheets

This section includes worksheets that help students develop inferencing skills by recognizing
traits of characters in various reading passages.

Context Clues Worksheets

Part of reading comprehension involves using the other words in a sentence or passage to
understand an unknown word. An author often includes hints, or clues, to help the reader
expand vocabulary and grasp the

Drawing Conclusions Worksheets

These drawing conclusion worksheets ask the student to evaluate details and make a
judgment. Learning to draw conclusions as they read is an important tool for students, as it
aids in comprehending text. Click on

Fact and Opinion Worksheet Activities

Here youll find several helpful activities to reinforce students abilities to determine fact and
fiction in reading.

Literature Worksheet Activities

These worksheets include passages from classic literature along with questions and activities
to support reading comprehension and other skills. Great to support reading activities in class
or at home.

Main Idea Worksheets

The main idea, also called the central idea or main point, is the primary concept of a passage.
It represents the essential point that the author is trying to convey. The main idea may be
clearly stated as a

Inference Worksheets
Good readers make inferences, or conclusions, as they read. Its an important skill for
understanding text, as authors often imply themes and ideas, without stating them outright.
Please use any of these free,

Point of View Worksheets

These worksheets help students recognize what type of narration is being used: first person or
third person.