Reading aloud helps to develop a child’s love of literature, increases their vocabulary and exposes them to a wider variety of books. It is also an essential part of building crucial literacy skills from preschool all the way to middle school. In addition, reading to your students is a fun and effective way to connect with them.

So, what can you do to make sure your read aloud techniques are engaging students and holding their attention? Keep reading for some ideas about making your read aloud skills top notch.

Choose the right book

One excellent way to get your students involved in the read aloud process is to allow them to select the book you read. Provide a list of approved books and let the students vote on which one you will read aloud that day or assign a student each day to choose the book. Look for books in various genres that are based on your students’ interests.

Mix up the location

Now that kids are learning from home, they can listen to you from anywhere in their house. They can go outside and sit under a tree, on a swing or on the porch. They can get cozy on a favorite couch or chair or listen at the breakfast table. Each place where they listen to a book can be as unique as the stories themselves.

Make the read aloud interactive

Occasionally stop reading and get the students involved. Try using sticky notes or a reading journal to have students record their thoughts as you read. Then when you reach a natural stopping point, have them share. Another idea is to ask critical thinking questions, ask students to form an opinion, encourage discussion, or even predict what will happen next.

Engage kids with creativity

Using different voices or accents for each character or acting out parts of the story can make reading aloud more enjoyable for you and your students. Sometimes you may need to read softly or loudly, slow or fast, use funny voices, add facial expressions, throw your arms into the air, or whatever other gestures you need to do to gain their attention. This is also fantastic modeling!

Make a connection

Help your students make connections between the story and their own lives. Ask questions that evoke emotion and reflective inquiry, such as, “What would you do in this situation? Why do you think the character behaved in that way? Have you ever encountered a similar situation? Who does the character remind you of? How does the character feel?”

Dress up

Dress up as the main character of the book you are going to read aloud. This really makes the story come alive. Students can also participate by dressing up as characters or wearing an outfit that coordinates with the theme or location of the book. This really helps set the stage for your read aloud.

Act it out

Get kids to take ownership of the material by conducting a reader’s theater in which you treat the text like a scene and have readers act it out as if on stage. This works best with texts that contain a lot of interaction between characters.

Continue the engagement

Look for creative ways to extend the learning of the book. Are there far-off lands that are featured in the book? Find them on a map together. Complete an art project based on the illustrations or theme in the story, listen to music that is in some way related to the story or write a sequel or alternate ending to the story.

What approaches do you use for making read alouds more engaging for your students? Share your ideas in the comments.

Are you looking for some great read alouds? Check out Our Top 10 Favorite Read Alouds for Any Age blog >>