Penguin Books, The Read-Aloud Handbook, 2013

It is a given that I read aloud to children multiple times a day.  I know, and you know, that it makes a difference.  In this blog post, I will address more than reading aloud – combining what really happens and why, with facts and stories from The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease, and real events in my classroom.

Reading is the heart of education.  The knowledge of almost every subject in school flows from reading.  One must be able to read the word problem in math to understand it.  If you cannot read the science or social studies chapter, how do you answer the question at the end of the chapter?

I’ve given you the ‘bad news’ before:
Every kindergartener wants to read.  By fourth grade, 54% read something for pleasure every day.  By eighth grade, 30% read for pleasure daily.  By twelfth…