WHY WE CAN’T STOP READING ALOUD
Amber K. Howard, Deanne Camp, Cindy Hail, &
Beth Hurst
“The single most important activity for building
the knowledge required for eventual success in
reading is reading aloud to children”
(Anderson, Hiebert, Scott, & Wilkinson, 1985, p. 23).
any classroom teachers have told us that
because of the increasing demands placed on them in
the classroom, the time-honored tradition of reading
aloud to students is often placed on the back burner.
Some teachers have even told us their district has
instructed them not to take time to read aloud.
Others have told teachers if something cannot be
measured and assessed, it is not important. This is a
shame. As reading teachers know, reading aloud is
probably the most powerful and long-lasting activity
teachers do to influence students to learn how to read
and develop a love of reading.
This article is a plea for teachers to follow their
instincts and read aloud to their students in spite of
those who tell them it is not worth the time. We
know it is worth it. Harris and Sipay (1990) knew it
was worth it when they wrote: ―A teacher who
regularly reads fascinating stories to her class usually
has no trouble arousing interest in reading‖ (p. 675).
Trelease (2006), who wrote the classic book, The
Read-Aloud Handbook, contends that reading aloud to
students is one of the best advertisements for the joy
of reading. Routman (2003) believes that reading
aloud to students is a critical factor in developing
students who are not only good readers, but who also
enjoy reading. Castle (1994) states there is ―no more
powerful way for teachers to foster a love of reading
than to read to, with, about, and in front of children‖
(p. 147).
What the Research Says
In our effort to remind you of the importance of
reading aloud to students, we have looked to the
literature. Glasgow and Farrell (2007) believe reading
aloud to students is a ―key factor in creating a
motivating learning envir